A Vampire's Knight
by daydreamer9898
Summary: When Zero Kiryuu is sent to Cross Academy to be a prefect, he meets a girl who wouldn't leave him alone. Yuuki Kuran is somehow attracted to the silver-haired Vampire Hunter, though she doesn't know why. And as she try to find out, nightmares are brought to life, secrets are uncovered, and truths appear from lies and deceptions. (ZeroxYuuki)
1. Chapter 1

"You've got to be kidding me," Zero said, his voice deadly serious. He was glaring at the Association President, who looked up at him with the usual menacing smile. It wasn't a friendly one, it was freaky like a clown's. "You told me I could drop out, and just a year later you're asking to go back? No. Mister President, no."

"I'm sorry, Kiryuu-kun, but you're the youngest Hunter we have and you're just perfect for the assignment," the President said reasonably. "Look at the bright side-"

"There's no bright side!" Zero said through gritted teeth. He slammed his fists down the President's table.

"Zero, you're a smart kid," he sighed, "you can easily get through this... and I know you're so smart that you know better than to slam your fists on my table." The creepy smile left his face, and now he was serious. He wasn't angry, but he was done with Zero's temper. "Kaien Cross is waiting for you. You best be on your way now."

Zero took a deep breath, and nodded as he knew there was no other option but to accept the mission. He walked out the door, tempted to slam the door so hard it went off its hinges. But he knew better than to do that. He was already on the President's nerves. One more strike and the President would kick him out of the association for sure. He walked out of the building with, mind buzzing with profanities. He thought of Kaien, who was no stranger to him.

Kaien Cross was the man who took him in 4 years ago, after his whole family was wiped out by a vampire. Zero moved out of Kaien's care after 2 years, moving to his own apartment. He hasn't seen the man since then. Plus, Kaien has always seemed delusional to him. He's always had this vision of a peaceful future, where vampires and humans coexist in harmony. Zero shook his head at the thought. He never thought this day would come.

"Hey, Zero," a familiar voice called. Zero turned to look at him, a tall man with a strong build, hair that cascaded down his broad shoulders.

"Yagari-sensei."

"I just want to tell you," the man said. "That Academy is full of vampires. If one of them slips up, I give you full permission to kill. You hear me? I don't care what Kaien says. You don't take orders from him. You understand?"

Zero nodded with a grin.

* * *

Zero walked up the cobble steps of the Academy. There were several buildings in the vicinity, and he knew immediately that it would've been one of the most prestigious schools in the country. But it was empty, for now. It was peaceful and quiet. He could already imagine the peace and quiet leaving as those blasted creatures arrive.

After being lost in the long corridors and empty hallways, after turning around the wrong corners, after stumbling into empty soon-to-be classrooms, he finally finds himself standing in front of the Main office. Just as he placed his hand around the knob, he felt a knot in his stomach and a kick in his gut. He felt his heart skip a beat. There was a familiar aura, though it was stronger than most that he has encountered. He placed his hand on the handle of his gun, with his finger securely hovering on the trigger. He let the door swish open, and found a man staring right into his eyes.

"Kiryuu-kun, how nice of you to join us," he said, in a quiet voice. He didn't even bat an eye at the anti-vampire weapon that was pointed right at him.

"Ah, Kiryuu-kun, you might want to lower your gun," says Kaien, who stepped between the two of them. "Kaname-sama is a friend."

"Vampires are not friends," Zero said coldly, but he lowered his gun and put it out of view. "And Purebloods are the worse."

"I appreciate your warmth and your friendly aura," Kaname said in cool, good-natured tone. Zero just glared.

"Anyway, Kiryuu-kun," Kaien said. "I suppose the Association filled you in on the details?"

"They told me you were on the first stage of your so-called experiment," he shrugged, "which involves innocent human students and monstrous bloodsuckers-" Kaname smiled pleasantly, as if concealing his annoyance, and Kaien just sighed hopelessly. "And that's where I come in."

"Exactly!" Kaien looked pleased as he clasped his hands together. He sounded giddy when he went on to explain. "You'll play an important role in this, Kiryuu-kun. You're the prefect! The knight in shining armor, the protector, the-"

"I get it!" Zero said impatiently.

Kaien's face softened with sincerity and his eyes darkened with seriousness. It was moments like these that Zero somehow sees the Hunter that used to be Kaien Cross, the damned creature who wielded his sword with the desire to behead every monster of darkness that came before him. "I trust you, Zero. To protect the humans, the vampires, the secret... One day, you'll see. You'll understand me."

He looked away with a flash of anger and annoyance. He will never understand. He will never stop thinking of this as complete madness and idiocy. His doubts of vampires would never fade. Because vampires are vicious creatures, trapping every human in their little spider web. And this Academy is their giant web, and they were all stuck to it. Except Zero. Because in the end, when they show their fangs, he will be the one to put an end in their immortality-

The door swung open, and hit him in the back. He stumbled forward, but righted himself immediately. He whirled around furiously, and found a pair of big brown eyes staring up at him. "Ah- I'm so sorry!" she said, bowing her head. Her cheeks were red with embarrassment. "I'm so sorry!"

"No, no, Yuuki-chan, it's alright. It's alright, right Kiryuu-kun?" said Kaien.

"Whatever."

"Zero, this is Yuuki Kuran, Kaname's sister," Kaien introduced. Zero's eyes widened with surprise. _Kuran_. But he looked at her, and there was nothing. She didn't give off the same aura as vampires. She seemed so... human. She smelled more of sunlight than pure blood. He looked from the girl to Kaname, and back. He could see it. The resemblance. The same brown hair, the perfect porcelain-like skin... but their eyes were different. Yes, they were both brown, but where Kaname's were heavy with the weight of everything he's seen, the girl's were alight with curiosity. "How do I say this...? It's a rather complicated story, to be honest. Yuuki-chan is... human."

The confusion must've been evident on his face, for Kaname explained, "Our mother gave her life to turn my sister into a human, due to the circumstances. It was so to protect her. So that she wouldn't be tracked by the scent of our blood."

_Tracked? _"You see, Kiryuu-kun," Kaname continued. "Yours wasn't the only family massacred by vampires."

Zero grinned unpleasantly. "Vampires attacking vampires, I see... Such a monstrous thing. Why am I not surprised?" he turned to look at Kaien. "Is that all? I'm going back to the Association, okay."

* * *

"He doesn't seem to like me," Yuuki said, when Zero left.

"Don't worry yourself, Yuuki-chan," Kaien said. "Kiryuu-kun isn't fond of many things. You should be more scared if he smiled at you on your first meeting."

Yuuki went over to one of the windows, leaving the two to discuss matters. She didn't know why, but she wanted to see him again. There was something about him... When he looked at her, it was like it wasn't the first time he looked into those eyes. He seemed so familiar, with his silver hair and luminous eyes. It's just that, how can she possibly recognize him when there was no way that she's seen him before? For the past ten years, she's been locked up in their manor.

She didn't know exactly what she was looking for until she spotted that silver hair. He walked with his back straight and his hands in his pockets. He seemed so young to be a Hunter. Too young to have blood on his hands. _Yours wasn't the only family massacred by vampires_. Kaname's words echoed in her head. She wondered how long it has been since this boy lost his family. She wondered if that was the reason for his bitterness.

As if sensing her gaze, he looks up at the window, directly into her eyes. He shot her a look of pure poison, full of anger and hatred. But despite the hostility, Yuuki could still feel a connection. She wanted for him to keep his eyes on her, and she yearned to see their color when he turned away. What is this feeling?

"Yuuki, are you alright?" Kaname asked. She looked over at him and found that he was looking at him quizzically. She hadn't realized that she had her hands against the glass, as if a dog watching a squirrel outside.

"I want to be a prefect."


	2. Chapter 2

Chairman Cross walked into the kitchen, sulking. He looked so tired and hopeless. "Yuuki, my dear," he said shyly. He spoke with the sadness of a neglected father. "Could you do me a favor and wake Kiryuu-kun? He's shutting me out again."

"Sure," Yuuki said, getting up from the kitchen table. She put her bowl in the sink, and left to Zero's room.

It's been two months since they met, and though he still shuts everyone out, he wasn't as hostile as he had been. He barely talks to her, and when he does, he makes sure it's an insult. But Yuuki takes it all with a smile on her face, knowing that it was better than nothing at all. She started to think of their relationship as the kind siblings would have, where you insult each other and fight with each other, but you know deep down that it's just because you love each other.

Though it always worried her how much more sibling-like her relationship is with Zero than with her actual brother. Even though it's normal and perfectly accepted by society, it still seems wrong to her. _What a mortal thing to say_, Kaname had told her. Incest wasn't a big problem, she knew that. But still, it seemed wrong. Sure, she loved Kaname. And she knew Kaname loved her. But does she really love him that much?

She stopped in front of Zero's room. She took a deep breath before she knocked, but there was no answer. Which was odd because most of the time, he would open the door right before her knuckles touched it. "Hey, Zero!" she called. "Wake up, the sun is up!" The door swung open, so fast that her hair blew across her face. "The Chairman made breakfast-"

"I don't want his food," he said quietly, and closed the door behind him. He walked past her without another word. "Tell him I'm going out. The Association has a list for me."

"Eh? But what about Prefect's duty?" Yuuki asked. It was her turn to sulk and feel tired and hopeless.

"I'll be back by then." She crossed her arms over her chest and pouted. She wanted to scream at him, but she knew better than to do that. She didn't want to get on his bad side... well, because she's already on his bad side. He was going to be late again, as usual. He's going to be there when it's too late, when she's already been pushed around and trampled on. Then, Kaname would see her, and complain to the Chairman on why she was all alone, then the Chairman would talk to Zero, and Zero would blame_ those filthy Purebloods_, then go back to hating her. It was the same routine all the time.

"Be sure you'll be back by then!" she called after him. He didn't seem to hear her, or maybe he was acting like he didn't hear her. She wanted to know him. Really know him. She wanted to cut him open and explore his mind, his heart. She wants to know what goes on inside him. What does he think about? What did he dream about? Does he think of her? Is he a little bit curious of her the same way she's curious of him? Does he hate her a little less because she's "human"? "Zero..." she whispered. Zero. What an odd name. She wondered what his parents were thinking when they gave him that name.

There was an unfamiliar sensation in her face, like there was something tickling her nose. And that's when she sneezed. For the first time in sixteen years. She walked back into the kitchen, still sneezing over and over again. Chairman Cross was washing the dishes, wearing his _#1 mom_ apron. "I think Zero's running errands for the Hunters' Association tod-" she was cut off by another sneeze.

The Chairman whipped his head back to look at Yuuki. The tip of her nose was red. "Yuuki, are you alright?" he asked, worriedly.

"I'm fine, it's just a-" she sneezed again. "Okay, my head hurts."

The Chairman dropped all the dishes, dried his hands on his apron and ran towards her. He placed his hands all over her head and her neck, and she didn't understand what he was doing. Maybe she still wasn't accustomed to the humans' ways. "Oh no, Kaname-sama will kill me!" he said.

"No, he won't," Yuuki said, trying to make him feel better from whatever he was so afraid of. "I won't let Kanameonii-sama kill you. What's wrong?"

"It seems like you're coming up with a fever," he sighed. "Is this the first time you've had a fever?"

Yuuki nodded. Her eyes were wide and curious with anticipation. It felt exciting experiencing something for the first time. She would've jumped around, if only her body didn't feel so hot and heavy, and her words kept being interrupted by her sneezing. Her body got heavier and heavier, and she started getting so dizzy, she fell into the Chairman's arms. "It's okay, it's okay," he said. Patting her on the head.

"But... the... exchange..." she trailed off. She has to get up and be strong. She has to stay in between the Day class and the Night class. She has to...

"Zero will take care of that, okay?" The Chairman carried her to her room, and as she felt the comfort of her bed, she let her heavy eyes close.

* * *

Zero got back to the Academy with triumph in his veins. His eyes were full of vigor, and there was pride in his stance. Adrenaline sings in his ears, and he is filled with nothing but hunger for more. He wants to pull the trigger and hear that loud bang. He wants to smell the stench of those vampires as they bleed to death right in front of him. He wanted to see defeat in their eyes.

The school grounds were empty, and the sky was painted with the bright colors of sunset- splashes of warm orange, pink and purple. He looked at his watch, and realized he was late. A little too late. He just shrugged, knowing that Yuuki was strong and competent enough to do a good job even without him around. He went to the Chairman's cottage. "Kiryuu-kun?" he heard the Chairman call from the kitchen.

"I'm back," he answered, monotonously. He shrugged off his trench coat, and tossed it to the couch. His shirt was bloodstained. "Is Yuuki patrolling?"

"No, she's sleeping," the Chairman answered. Somehow, that answer caught him off guard. It was sunset, and she was supposed to be out, making sure that the Night class was behaving. It wasn't like her to sleep in. "Oh, she caught a flu and she has a fever. The exchange of classes was pretty dreadful- well, I hope you had a good hunt." He added sarcastically.

Zero rolled his eyes, and called out, "I'm going to take a shower."

"Okay, and when you get back, please go and check on Yuuki! I have a meeting with the Council, and I need you to look-"

Zero slammed the bathroom door shut, and went on into the showers. Blood dripped from his body, slipping through his fingers. He closed his eyes as the water touched his face. He thinks about the fear in their eyes, their cries and their pleas, their empty promises, desperate and clingy. He shot them all mercilessly. He could remember that woman from four years ago, and he shivered. She didn't have that look in her eyes- in fact, she had his. She had the look in his eyes when he killed vampires. That anger, that hatred, that pain, that unforgiving gleam in his eyes, that bloodlust, that satisfaction...

He has become a killer. Just like her.

A pair of brown eyes flashed across his mind, and his eyes flew open. So much warmth, so much happiness and curiosity. So much innocence. So much humanity.

He got out of the bathroom and dried himself off, throwing on a white long-sleeved shirt and a pair of jeans. He went out to the kitchen, but the Chairman was gone. But there was a tray with a bowl of steaming porridge on the table, with a note by its side:

_**Please give this to Yuuki and make sure she finishes it! I won't be home until midnight, so please look after her!**_

_**- Dad**_

Zero snorted, "You're joking, right? In what universe are you my _dad_?" He carried the tray and made his way to Yuuki's room, pushing the door open with his shoulder. The room was dark, and when he looked over the bed, he could barely see her. Her small figure was buried deep down in a pile of blankets. He set the tray on her study table, and flipped the light open. Yuuki didn't move, but he could hear her soft breathing.

"Hey, Yuuki," he said in a surprisingly gentle voice. He surprised even himself. He didn't know he still had such gentleness inside him. "Hey," he sat on the side of her bed, and slowly lowered her blanket so that he could see her face. She laid on her side, with her hair in her face. "Yuuki," he reached down and shook her gently on the shoulder.

She stirred, and slightly opened her heavy eyes. She looked up at him, her cheeks flushed from the fever. "Zero..." she mumbled.

"Are you hungry?" he asked. When was the last time he said that? When was the last time he spoke with such gentleness, as if he was holding a fragile injured bird in the palm of his hands? When was the last time he let his walls down? And why now? Why, all of a sudden, is it crumbling down around him? He was off guard. And maybe he didn't need his armor, for the mean time, because the person before him is barely conscious and maybe even delusional. So just this once, he will allow it. He will allow himself to care.

She shook her head. The movement was so slight he barely caught it. "The Chairman wants me to feed you, anyway. Sit up, now... please?" She turned to her side, and looked at him. Her eyes looked big, despite being so heavy. "I said sit up."

And so she did, with difficulty. She leaned against the headboard. Zero took the bowl into his hand, and pushed the spoon towards her. "Ah," he said, indicating that she open her mouth. She did, obediently, though the opening was small. He did this over and over again, until the bowl was half empty and she was begging him to stop because she thinks she might puke.

He let her go back to sleep, but she insisted that he stay with her. "I want... Zero-kun to stay." She held on to his sleeve, as though to keep him there next to her. "Because... Zero-kun... is warm." Her eyes grew heavy again, but she didn't let go of him. And when she turned to her side, she dragged her arm, causing him to fall over next to her.

His breath hitched, as she wrapped her arms around his, as if his arm was a pillow. He couldn't pull away, not because her grip was tight, but because there was something that made him want to stay. She just looked so peaceful, so serene. And it felt like if he stayed here, next to her, everything was going to be okay. And so he relented, and he let his head rest on her pillow, and he let his arm relax over her.

He had no idea how tired he really was until he closed his eyes, and dreamed. And for the first time in years, he didn't dream of that woman.


	3. Chapter 3

Yuuki could feel the morning light touch her skin. She could feel her senses awaken, her mind working and ready to go, but her eyes refuse to see the beginning of the day. She was surrounded by warmth, and she inched closer to it, until she felt her knee hit something hard. Something hard that was not supposed to be there. And suddenly she was aware of a weight that held her in place. Her eyes flew open with alarm.

She saw Zero. His eyes were closed, his long lashes touching his cheekbones. He breathed softly, and he smelled of soap and shampoo and metal and sun. He looked so much younger without a scowl on his face. She thought, How can this boy be the same person I quarrel with every morning? The same person who looks at everyone with so much hostility? This is Zero. This Zero raw and naked, without his barriers. It all felt so private and intimate, seeing him like this. Looking at this innocent side of him without his permission. She felt nervous and awkward. He looked so...

And she suddenly realized that she was looking at Zero. Zero. Asleep. Next to her. In her room. In her bed. Sharing her pillow. Sharing her blanket. With his arm protectively draped over her.

* * *

Zero woke up with a bleeding nose and his ears ringing from Yuuki's shriek. He sat up in the bed, holding his hand to his nose. He turned his head and saw Yuuki clutching the blanket close to his chest. Her face was so red.

"What are you even covering up?" Zero asked. "It's not like there's anything-"

Yuuki smacked him in the face with her pillow, strong enough that he fell to the floor. "What, are you planning to keep on smacking me with a pillow all morning?"

But before Yuuki could respond, the door swung open, so fast she thought it was going to fall off its hinges. "Yuuki, is everything okay?!" the Chairman's eyes were wide and panicked. "Kiryuu-kun, what happened?!" He looked from Yuuki to Zero, and back. The confusion was evident in his face.

"Your perverted son was-"

"Okay, first of all," Zero said, pinching the bridge of his nose and tilting his head up, "I'm not his son. Second, I'm not a pervert. And even the perviest pervert wouldn't take interest in your underdeveloped body- not to mention your extremely flat chest-" he stumbled back, falling to the floor on his back, as a pillow hit him really hard. He propped himself on his elbows and looked at Yuuki and her tomato red face. He wasn't angry or the least bit irritated with all the smack he's been getting. If anything, the was amused. He could do this all day. "And third, you're the one who invited me to bed."

Just when he thought it wasn't possible for her to get any redder, she did. Like an overripe tomato about to explode. "I-I-What are you- No, I didn't!" But she did. She knew she did. There were blurry, contorted images flashing in her head, and not one of them were in focus. Only fragments, and morsels of emotion.

"Ah!" the Chairman exclaimed. "Zero, you're bleeding is worsening! Ah, you're probably starting up a ruckus in the Moon dorm!" The Chairman ran away, as if to talk to someone immediately- most likely Kaname. He left the kids to their own problem to play with his little vampires.

"Let me bleed!" Zero shouted after him, then his voice dropped, "If they touch me, I won't hesitate. They're dead."

Swallowing her pride, Yuuki jumped down the bed and sat cross-legged across Zero. "I'm sorry," she said. "And thank you, for taking care of me," She looked away, because she felt extreme heat in her cheeks. "and for staying with me." She propped herself up on her knees and started opening up the little drawers on her bedside table. She took a box of Kleenex, and leaned over to Zero.

"H-hey!" he tried to shove her away, but she just slapped his hand away. She pinched his nose so hard, it bled even more. He flinched.

"Oh, sorry." she said. "Look at you," she said, as she threw away the tissue, already soaked with blood. She looked him up and down, the front of his shirt was stained with blood. "If I was a vampire, you'd be dead by now."

"Hmph." his lips formed into a smirk. "If you were a vampire, you'd be dead minutes ago."

She took a deep breath, and went back to draining his nose of all the blood. "I don't know what happened to Kiryuu-kun and his family," she said in a soft and quiet voice. "I don't know who did it to Kiryuu-kun... but Kiryuu-kun has to know that not all vampires are bad." She smiled as she looked at the last Kleenex, which was clear. There was nothing left. "There, you're all good."

He pushed her away, and got up. "All vampires feed on blood. Only monsters do that." He walked away, slamming the door behind him.

She frowned, as he didn't at least thank her. But did he have to? Wasn't she just repaying him for taking care of her? She sighed. Every time things go well between them, Yuuki ends up saying something that completely pisses him off. Something that drives him away from her, that makes him hate her.

* * *

Kaname perked up upon the smell of blood. For a second, he was worried that Yuuki's blood has been spilt. But no. He'd know Yuuki's blood. The scent of it was the scent of her- sweet and pure and full of happiness. It was like the smell of the sun coming up right after the storm. But this was different. This was the storm. The scent of blood was unpleasant- devastated and sorrowful, angry and desperate, beautiful in a dark way. It smelled like trouble. It smelled like...

A knock came on the door, and it opened slightly. Ichijou peered in, with a good-natured smile. "Kaname-sama, a letter came in for you," he said.

"Who is it from?" Kaname asked, gesturing with his delicate fingers for him to come in.

"It doesn't say," Ichijou replied. He studied Kaname, and was almost disappointed with the look on his face. It was coming back. There was a time when Kaname-sama had looked so sad, and it made him even more beautiful. It made him look like one of those Greek Gods carved onto marble. There was a darkness that surrounded him, but it would go away when Yuuki is around. Only when Yuuki is around. When Kaname could stay in the Kuran mansion all summer, he would smile. He would be happy. And Ichijou thought that Kaname smiling was more beautiful than Kaname with his sad eyes. But when Yuuki came here to the Academy, she grew farther and farther from Kaname. And Ichijou thinks it's why the darkness was coming back. "Are you alright, Kaname-sama?"

Kaname looked up at him through lowered lids. "Depends on who is asking."

"I am as a friend, not as your babysitter."

Kaname smiled a bit, but it was a bitter smile, and it didn't reach his tired eyes. "As a matter of fact, no, I'm not alright."

"Is it because of Yuuki?" Kaname's eyes narrowed at the mention of her name. He took the envelope out of Ichijou's wrist, so swift that the edge cut Ichjou's palm. Ichijou let out a sigh, "Why do I feel like you did it on purpose?"

Kaname gently handled the other boy's wrist and licked the blood trickling out of the cut. "Because Ichijou-kun is smart." He pulled Ichijou by the collar. Ichijou didn't show any sign of hesitation as he gave himself to the Pureblood. He could feel Kaname's soft lips on his neck, his fangs buried deep in his flesh. He felt his blood rush out of him and into Kaname's mouth. He could here his blood slushing out of him. He felt warm all over, and he could feel himself shiver as Kaname gripped his shoulder tighter, as he drank in more blood. And for a second, he thought Kaname was going to drain him, and he wouldn't resist._ It would be my pleasure_, he thought.

But Kaname let him go, and for a minute, he was dizzy and he fell to his knees. He knelt in front of Kaname, who was still seated on his seat like a king on his throne. And in that moment, it was a picture of how things really was. He wasn't Kaname's friend. He was a mere servant, a messenger, a puppet, whose purpose is to serve the king with loyalty and never-ending trust.

Kaname opened the letter, and his lips turned up into an evil smile. Even now, with such a vile look on his face, with blood spilling down from his mouth down his chin to his neck to his shirt, he still looked so beautiful. A prince who deserves a portrait in the most historical museums. A god.

There was a loud shrieking sound that made Ichijou's ear feel like they were going to bleed and just detach from his head. Like nails on a chalkboard, with the volume turned up to its maximum level. He looked over his shoulder, and found a chess board laying on the coffee table in the center of the room. The Queen of White moved slowly across the board, and he knew it was Kaname who was controlling it. The Queen stopped by the Black Knight. Behind the Black Knight was the Queen of Black, and at the far corner of the board, cowering behind Black Pawns, was the King of Black. He wondered what it all meant. And for some reason, he felt his stomach churn. He could sense something was wrong, and something was headed their way. Something dark. "What is it?" he asked, looking back up at his master. "Why do you have such a look on your face, Kaname-sama?"

"It's nothing," Kaname answered, his voice as fine as silk. "The game just got much more interesting, that's all."


	4. Chapter 4

The girls swarmed around the courtyard, squealing and cheering as they anticipated the opening of the Gates to the Moon dorm. Zero stood by, trying in vain to keep himself from shooting everyone. Yuuki stood between the girls and the Gates, her arms wide open to push them away if they try to push past her. Finally, the 5 o'clock bell sounded, its heavy chimes echoing through the sky, sending a flock of birds and a murder of crows fleeing from the ledge.

The Gates began to open, painstakingly slowly. The girls tried to move past her, and that's when Zero steps in with his ice cold glare. Everyone took at least a step back, shivering in their shoes. They all shot him uneasy glares and murmurs.

_If you keep acting like that_, Yuuki thought, _no one would ever dare talk to you_.

"Ah! How cute!" It was Aidou Hanabusa, with his luminous blue eyes and perfect blonde hair. He looked over the crpwd, as if he was overlooking his own land. The crowd swooned at the sight of him and the sound of his voice. "Yuuki-chan, you're back!" He moved as if to run towards her, but Zero cut him off by stepping between them.

"You might get late to class, Aidou-_senpai_," he addressed mockingly.

"Hmmm, I always admired how Kiryuu-kun cared about my studies!" Aidou moved away, and walked along with the crowd of the elite Night class students. "Stay cute, girls!" The whole crowd cried his name, and some others. "Wild-senpai!" "Senri-senpai!" "Ah! Ichijou-senpai!" "Kaname-senpai!"

Yuuki's heart skipped a beat as she heard his name. And just as she looked up, Kaname was walking towards her with his long elegant strides. His hair swayed in the wind, covering his eyes. He stopped as he found Zero standing in between them. But Zero knew he was in no place to keep Yuuki from Kaname, so he retreated and turned his attention to the raging whiney girls who loved the vampires so much without even knowing what they truly are.

Kaname grabbed her by the arm, and took her behind the tree, so that they were hidden in its shade. He seemed to close the space between them, and she was pressed up against the tree trunk. He looked down at her with so much longing and love and... sadness and despair. It pained her to see those two things gleaming in his eyes. It made her feel like she's done something to hurt him, and it only made her want to make up for it.

He placed his hand on the side of her face, gently caressing her cheek. She leaned into his touch. "Where were you yesterday?" he asked, his voice sounded so soft in her ears, as if the wind was tickling the inside of her lobes. She felt heat rush up to her face.

"I had a fever," she was smiling and her eyes widened with amazement as she said it. "Can you believe it, Kaname-sama? I had a fever! For the first time in sixteen y-"

He grabbed her and held onto her tightly. So tightly that she almost suffocated as her face was pressed up against his hard chest. "Catching a fever, is that a good thing?" Yuuki nodded, unable to speak, knowing that whatever she says will be muffled by him and will come out distorted. "Stubborn child."

She could hear the smile in his voice. She pulled away, just enough so that she could look up at his face. "Is there something wrong, Kanameonii-sama?"

"I just missed you," he leaned down to plant a kiss on her cheek. And when she thought he was done talking to her, his mouth landed on hers with such force she fell back against the tree. There was so much hunger as he kissed her. She could almost taste his desires and his thoughts. She closed her eyes and leaned into the kiss, though she was half-hearted about it. As if sensing it, Kaname pulled away. That hurt look was back in his eyes, and it made her want to pull his lips back onto hers and kiss him like she meant it. But he only smiled a sad smile, "so much."

"Kaname-sama," Yuuki said. "You didn't see me for just a day. You've had me for sixteen years... isn't that enough?"

Kaname smiled, "Sixteen years is an awfully short time for someone who has a whole eternity ahead of them."

She waited for a moment after he left, wanting to be alone when she steps out from behind the tree. She didn't want to walk out there, looking all flushed with swollen lips. Because she knew everyone out there was a girl, and a girl could almost always sense what the other girl is thinking. She waited until the voices died down, until there was nothing left but the sound of the rustling of leaves. _Kaname-sama_, she thought. _Even though it's completely normal, I still wish you weren't my brother_.

She took a deep breath, and walked out. Like she expected, the courtyard was empty, except for one person. A familiar black blazer just like hers, a prefect band on his sleeve, and a silver hair tangled up in the wind. He wasn't looking at her though, he was looking up at the sky. He took in the air, and when he opened his eyes, it was as if he wasn't expecting to see her. "What are you still doing here?" Yuuki asked.

"What are _you_ still doing here?" he asked, then walked away. There was something in his voice. He was back to being hostile. It made her wish that Kaname wouldn't touch her like that in front of people. Or to be more specific, in front of Zero.

* * *

There was a shift in the atmosphere. He could feel it. And it wasn't the adrenaline he felt when he was hunting vampires, this was different. There was turmoil in his stomach and he could feel his heart his tightening in his chest. He felt immense hatred. He wanted to point the gun at anyone he sees and just pull the trigger. And so he had to walk away from Yuuki. Because he couldn't trust himself to be alone with her, in that state of mind.

Zero staggered to the stables like a drunk man. White Lily was up, and as she saw him, she lowered herself to the ground. Like a mother waiting for her son to come home and tuck him into bed. Zero fell by her side, his head resting on her. "Lily..." he gasped. "Do you feel that?" He knew he sounded ridiculous, talking to a horse. But he did this often.

He started to breathe heavily, and he knew that the only way to get rid of this feeling to sleep it off. But the moment he closed his eyes, he saw a smile. A bitter smile, a woman, and cherry blossoms.

* * *

"Welcome, Kurenai-sama," the Chairman said as warmly as he could.

The girl with pale, silvery hair swayed in front of him. He was told that she was weak, sickly and fragile, but he had no idea she this weak, sickly and fragile. She looked so thin, and her skin was so pale he could see blue veins lining up the inside of her arm. She looked so light he was afraid the wind would blow her away like dried leaves. She smiled, and he had to admit, she did have a pretty smile. Innocent and sweet. "Thank you so much for accepting me, Chairman," Her voice was soft and quiet. Despite everything, she still had the grace of the vampires. "despite being so late for the school year."

"No, don't worry about it!" he said, waving her off. "It's okay. We are delighted to have you! And I'm pretty sure the Night Class would enjoy your company."

She giggled quietly, "That's so nice of you to say... I can't wait to meet everyone on Monday. Would someone show me around campus, or something? I heard you had prefects."

"Yes, we do. And yes, I would assign one of them to show you around before you begin school."

"I also heard they were _human_?" There was a shift in the tone of her voice, and a gleam in her eyes. The Chairman saw the hunger and the deception behind her innocent façade. Surely, he would assign Zero to give her a tour, since she might take advantage of Yuuki's naïve kindness. As if sensing the Chairman's unease, she giggled again. "I know the rules, Chairman. I was just curious. Don't worry, I don't bite."


	5. Chapter 5

Yuuki stood outside the Chairman's bathroom, with her towel draped around her shoulders. She hugged her clothes to her chest, and leaned against the wall. She's been waiting out there for half an hour. Sure, there was no lock, but she couldn't just barge in there. She might see something that cannot be unseen. She slid down to the floor, tired and bored. She took a glance at her watch. They were going to be late to class, obviously. "Hey, Zero!" she called. "Are you planning to take forever in there?"

No one answered. For the past half hour, she couldn't hear any movement from inside. She didn't hear the showers, or the hair dryer... nothing. She didn't know how to feel. Zero didn't usually take this much time, but he wouldn't be stupid enough to die in the bathroom. Maybe she should be worried, but knew that she shouldn't. It was Zero. There was nothing to worry about. "Hey, if you don't come out in five minutes, I'm coming in," she warned. Still no answer.

She waited five minutes, looking at her watch as every second passed. Finally, his five minutes were up and he still wasn't coming out. She stood up with a heavy heart, not expecting what she would see when opened the door. Maybe he was dead. Maybe he electrocuted himself. Maybe he drowned in the bathtub. Gruesome images of a pale, lifeless body filtered into her mind, and she felt her hand getting heavier and heavier as she twisted the knob. She peeked in, and there was nothing. _EH?_ she thought. _Don't tell me it's been empty the whole time! _She stepped into the room, her bare feet touching the cold tiled floor. And as she set her stuff on the counter, she found him. He sat on the floor, his head bowed down. She immediately went towards him, and found that he wasn't moving. His eyes were heavy, but they were open. His chest rose and fell. He's breathing, and he's alive. She breathed out in relief.

It took her a moment to realize that his hair was soaking wet, drops of water trickling down his bare shirtless torso and down to his jeans, darkening the material even more. She reached for his towel, and ruffled his hair with it. She felt him flinch, but he didn't move to stop her. "If you don't dry up, you might get sick," she said. When his hair was almost dried up, she just said in front of him, with her legs folded underneath her and his damp towel on her lap. "Are you okay?"

He gritted his teeth, as if he were in pain. He looked away from her without saying a word, and he absent-mindedly reach up to put his hand around his neck, clutching the skin where he had his tattoo. Her eyes widened at the sight of blood, as his nails dug into his neck, deep in the flesh. "Zero!" She lunged forward, pulling at his arm, but he was stronger.

"Go away," he said through his teeth. "Leave me alone."

"No, I'm not going to let you hurt yourself. Tell me what's wrong!"

He looked as if he was going to smack her, and she was almost sure he was going to. She braced herself, but it never came. Instead, in a quiet voice, he said, "Call the Chairman. I need him."

She debated whether she should call the Chairman and leave Zero by himself, obviously with suicidal tendencies, or stay here unless he was just tricking her. "Go! Now!" There was a booming sound in his voice, a sense of urgency. Without realizing it, she was up and running out the door and through the mostly empty hallways. In no time, she was right in front of the Office, and he slammed the door open. Her breath was ragged, by the time she got inside, and she had to bend over and get some air into her lungs.

The Chairman looked up at her, confused. Before he could ask what was wrong, "Zero..." she said, in between breaths. "There's something... wrong with... Zero. He needs you... He's... he's in the bathroom... trying to hurt... himself." Before she could even finish what she was saying, the Chairman was up his desk and out the door. There was something different about him now. He was no longer the annoying guy who acted so clumsily and so carelessly. As he passed her, she saw his eyes has narrowed, his jaw was set, and his posture..._ This is a Hunter_, was all she could think.

Before she knew it, she was alone in the Chairman's office. There was turmoil in her stomach, and she couldn't put a stop to the endless scenarios in her head. She paced back and forth, the palms of her hands beading up with sweat. Until she decided to sit down on one of the couches. But still, her fingers fidgeted, blindly picking on the leather seat.

A knock on the door snapped her out of reverie, and she jumped up onto her feet, expecting the Chairman. And a part of her hope that Zero was with him, just fine. The door opened slowly, and she was disappointed to see that it was neither of them. But curiosity got the better of her, as she saw a girl with such pale complexion, and silvery hair like Zero's. She was smaller than Yuuki, and she wore a white uniform. Vampire.

"Ah," the girl's eyes lit up at the sight of Yuuki, alone in the room. Like a predator cornering its prey. But the look of hunger and satisfaction flashed out of her eyes, almost immediately. "you must be the prefect!"

"Uh- yes, Yuuki Kur- Cross!" Yuuki gave an awkward salute. She felt so awkward and nervous. Anxiety piled up inside her as the thought of Zero hasn't vanished, and this little vampire girl suddenly surfaces.

"Oh? You're the Chairman's daughter?"

It sounded so weird to Yuuki's ears. She rarely used that lie, since everyone already believed it and no one had to repeat it over and over again. It was a part of her deal with Kaname to attend to school in Cross Academy- she had to lay low, stay human, and disguise herself as someone who is not a Pureblood vampire. "Uh, yeah," she said. "Are you a new student?"

The girl nodded. "My name is Maria, Yuuki-san," she said with a slight curtsy. "I was told that a prefect was going to show me around campus. Is that prefect you?"

Yuuki considered her options. Hanging out with a vampire in broad daylight wasn't exactly laying low. But if she spent one more second in this room, all alone, she would lose her mind. "Yes. Are you ready?"

The girl, Maria, giggled. "I should be the one asking you that."

Yuuki was confused, for a moment. And upon realization, her face flushed with embarrassment. She had forgotten she was still wearing her pajamas. "Ah- wait a second, Maria-san! I'm going to change!"

* * *

Zero let his head hang low, as he reluctantly let the Chairman lock the shackles around his wrists and his ankles. He sunk to the stone floor, with his back against the cold wall. The chains made an irritable sound with every move he made. "I don't know what's happening," he said, clearly this time. He's been mumbling the same words over and over again for the past hour. "There's something _wrong_ here."

"Zero, I think we both know it's just about time," the Chairman said solemnly. His face was void of any expression, and his voice was a shallow blankness. "We both knew it would've happened sooner or later."

"Yuuki, is she okay?" the younger boy asked.

"Yes, why?"

"I thought I was going to do it." Zero took in a breath, sharply. And his body started to shudder. The Chairman looked away, knowing he shouldn't be seeing Zero in such a vulnerable state. He felt immense sympathy for the boy, and sympathy, in this kind of situation, is never a good sign. He walked away without another word, lowering the bars of the cell until it was locked. "Kill me!" He heard Zero's ragged voice echo, bouncing off the walls and into the endless darkness.

The Chairman walked away, trying not to look back. He was going to have to do it sooner or later. As he was instructed to.

* * *

"Yuuki-chan," Maria said. Her voice sounded strained. "Can we sit here for a minute? I'm feeling a bit dizzy."

"Uh, sure. Are you okay?" Yuuki asked, as she helped the girl sit by the fountain. The soft sound of the water was like music in her ears. She remembered coming here, every night, after she went to visit Kaname in the Moon Dorm. This is where she sits in the dead of the night, trying to calm her mind and make sense of her thoughts. This is where she tried to figure out the pieces of information she was missing. Where she tries to make sense of all the overwhelming emotion happening inside her.

"I'll be fine in a moment, thank you." There was a pause, words left hanging in the air, unsaid. The atmosphere grew uneasy, awkward. And Yuuki had to strain herself from sighing out loud, when Maria finally broke the silence. "You look worried. What's the matter?"

"It's just... a friend of mine..." she said slowly, picking her words carefully. "He doesn't seem to... like me."

"Is he just your friend? Or are you hoping there's something more?"

"Oh- oh, no, no, no. It's just that, he doesn't open up to a lot of people. And I guess I just piss him off by trying to force him to open up to me, and-"

"You need a key."

Yuuki turned to Maria, suddenly confused. "A locked door," Maria explained, slowly. "What do you do to a locked door? You don't try to force it open, because then you're just going to break the knob. So you have to use a key. But when a key is not around... you have to look for it." Yuuki didn't know what to say to this. "To us vampires," Maria continued. "The key is..." she started to lean in closer, so close that Yuuki could smell her hair. Like fresh wind and cherry blossoms and the sweetness of the sunset. She was so close that Yuuki could feel her breath on her neck- "_blood_."

Yuuki squirmed away, but she didn't have to. Maria already retracted from her, with such a sweet and innocent smile on her lips. "But don't worry, you wouldn't need a key. I'm as open as a door that is ajar." Yuuki reached up to touch her neck, as if to conceal the temptation to the vampire's prying and hungry eyes. Maria looked up at the sky. "It feels like I just met you an hour ago, and now, the sun is setting." She looked down and met Yuuki's eyes. "You could come to me, if ever you need something. After all, that's what friends are for... We are friends, right?"

"Yes, of course," Yuuki chuckled nervously. It was the same thing with Zero, she realized. When she looked at this girl, she was reminded of Zero. Maybe it was just the color of the hair, or the intensity of the gaze, but something about her...


	6. Chapter 6

Yuuki looked down at her paper, then up to the board. Then back again. She felt like pulling out her hair. She felt so frustrated. "Who even got the idea to mix numbers with letters and fractions?!" she thought out loud. Sayori Wakaba, the girl who sat next to her, just giggled. Yuuki stared down at her paper again, wondering how she could possibly answer the questions.

And just as she planned on focusing, her thoughts drifted back to her room in the Kuran Manor. It was a big room, with high floor-to-ceiling windows, overlooking a garden. She was always lost in thought, imagining what it would feel like to go outside. To feel the soil on the soles of her feet. Feel the air rush against her skin. Feel the sunlight tangle in with her hair.

But Aidou would always hit her in the back of the head, yelling at her to focus. She liked that about him. Aidou Hanabusa was the only person who treated Yuuki as if she weren't a princess. Yes, Kaname had always made it clear to take extra care of her, and yes, Aidou was afraid of Kaname. But for some reason, he could get past that fear and just straight up hit Yuuki and boss her around. He didn't treat her like she was made of fragile china.

And that's why it broke her heart when Kaname erased all of his memories of her. Now, he looks at her as if she was one of those annoying Day class fangirls. But she takes extra interest in her, for some reason. She wasn't sure, but she hoped that a part of him remembered.

"Cross-san!" She looked up, and found a stern man looking down at her, his eyebrows knit together in frustration. "When you're not sleeping, you're daydreaming!" He cussed under his breath. "An hour. After class."

Yuuki pouted and stuck her tongue out when the professor wasn't looking. She looked behind her, hoping that Zero was asleep so they could have after class together. But he wasn't. He wasn't there.

"Well, it's been three days since you got an hour after class," Yori said, not bothering to look up from her work.

"Hey, Yori, do you want to tutor me?" she asked, not knowing where the question even came from. She hated being tutored.

Yori finally looked up from her work, sighed, then looked back down. "I'd love to, but... I'm not really good at explaining these things, you know. It's like, I just know them." From her peripheral vision, she saw Yuuki sulk. So she added, "But you know who seems like a good tutor?" Yuuki perked up. Yori nudged her pen, pointing it behind her. "Kiryuu-kun. You always see him asleep, or just totally out of it, but he's got an A+ in this class."

Yuuki looked over her shoulder at Zero's seat again, and she felt his absence in the pit of her stomach. Did he really hate her that much? The other day, when he saw her with Kaname, what was going through his mind? Is that why he didn't want to even look at her yesterday? _Zero_... _you must really despise us vampires_...

* * *

Aidou leaned against the pastel-colored wall, with his arm folded across his chest. He watched as the new girl, Maria Kurenai, came into the room, her steps small and graceful. There was an unpleasant smile on her face, and he could tell that there was something wrong with her.

"How was your sleep, Kurenai-san?" it was Ichijou, who asked, of course. He was the only ever pleasant one in the room, always entertaining guests and trying to keep them comfortable. Sometimes Aidou wonders if Ichijou ever gets tired of smiling. He swears if the vampire clans ever get extinct, Ichijou would be there, with that stupid smile of his, making sure everyone's comfortable.

The girl only nodded, and walked passed him and up the left stairs. Aidou's breath hitched, as he watched her. He detached himself from the wall, and let his arms fall to his sides, his hands clenched into fists. "Hey!" he called, his jaw clenched. "You're not supposed to go there! That's Dorm Leader Kuran's quarters!"

Maria looked down at him with such amusement. The playful grin on her lips and the lustful look in her eyes were oddly familiar. "I need to speak with the Dorm Leader."

Aidou, outraged, looked around his little group, as if looking for backup. "Did you see that?! She went straight to his room! Did you see- How dare- Who does she think she is?!"

"Oy, Hanabusa, calm down." It was Kain Akatsuki, his cousin.

"I need to talk to you," Aidou said, his blue eyes burning with seriousness. "In private."

Before Akatsuki could respond, he was being dragged by the blonde who was at least a feet shorter than him, into their dorm room. Aidou slammed the door shut, as he let go of Akatsuki. He looked confused and frustrated, like a little boy who couldn't figure out how to finish a rubik's cube. "Kurenai," he said under his breath. "That's her name isn't it? Maria Kurenai?" He looked up at his cousin, who just shrugged. "Then she's related to that woman. The Madly Blooming Princess. Right?"

"What's your point? What are you thinking?" Akatsuki spoke with cool confidence, as if he couldn't be bothered by Aidou's hypothesis.

"She didn't die, she just disappeared," he continued. "But where did she go?"

"They said she rested," Akatsuki answered, as he took a seat on his bed. He rested his chin on the palm of his hand, and looked up at Aidou with heavy eyes, as if he was bored. "with her so-called lover."

"No," Aidou shook his head and gritted his teeth. He was so frustrated. "He's all alone! Father said so!"

"Then why don't you go ahead and just tell me what's bugging you!"

"Maria Kurenai can't be trusted!" his voice came out louder than expected, and uneven. "I think that woman is using her body."

Akatsuki sat up straight. "That's a very serious accusation. And you don't have anything to base your suspicions on."

"I can feel it. There's something... wrong with her. I saw that woman 10 years ago and this is exactly what I felt. That girl, Kurenai, is giving off the same aura as Shizuka Hiou!"

* * *

Yuuki knocked softly, and pushed the door open. The Chairman was seated behind the desk, as always. She rarely came to see him at night, but something was really nagging her at the back of her mind. Surprised, she saw a bottle of liquor on his table. His eyes were droopy and his cheeks were flustered. He raised his glass, but before he could take another sip, she took the glass from his hand. "Enough, Chairman!" She sounded pleading. "You're drunk!"

"Yuuki-chan," he said lightly. "Yuuki... chan...?"

"Uh, yes, um, I just came by to ask you about Zero. I haven't seen him all day and I was just worried-"

"Ah, Zero-kun... he came to me 4 years ago, you know," his eyes were distant and his voice was quiet. A story wasn't what she expected, but it seems like it's what she's getting. "He was soaked in blood," he continued.

She imagined Zero, still young and covered in blood, standing in the doorway of a man he barely knew. "His whole family was killed by a Pureblood- his mom, his dad, his... and he's the only one alive! And you know what amused me and broke my heart at the same time? Not once- not once, I'm telling you- not once did he cry. No tears, no puffy eyes and red noses. None of that."

"Chairman..." It felt wrong. Hearing all of this from the Chairman. Listening as he unraveled Zero without consent. She didn't want to listen. She felt like she was intruding her friend's privacy. But as always, curiosity got the better of her.

"You really couldn't blame him for hating vampires, you know. He's all alone now... he watched them all die before his own eyes... he's just so desperate, you know, to get his hands on all of you... kill all of you..." The Chairman let out a sigh, and looked up at her sadly. "You know, if only I could tell him the truth, he wouldn't be so..." his words started to slur.

Her heart skipped a beat the mention of the word truth. Could it be that there's something Zero doesn't know about? Something they were hiding from him? How many people knew? "What, Chairman?"

"The time... is almost here and I..." his eyes grew heavier and heavier by the minute, until his head followed suit and fell to the hard wood of the table. His head banged down, and he tensed a little, but he was tired and drunk and just out of it.

Yuuki knew there was no way she could take him up to his room, so she just ran to his cabinet to get a warm blanket. She put it around the poor man. He was always so happy and cheerful, but now he just looked sad and sympathetic. His mouth was slightly parted, and his glasses were askew. She gently took his glasses, and set them down on the table. Feeling as though one isn't enough, she ran to get another blanket. And this time, when she put it around him, his lips moved and barely audible words came out. But she heard them. "_Thank you... Juuri_."


	7. Chapter 7

"He looks angry," Rima stated, her voice as emotionless as always. She just saw the Dorm President, get out of the Moon Dorm, hastily shrugging on his jacket, and ruffling his silky brown hair, obviously frustrated.

"He's always angry," said Shiki, matching her emotionless voice. He cocked his head slightly to the side, as if his neck was incapable of holding much weight. A Pockey stick stuck out of his mouth.

"Yeah, but usually he's good at concealing it." Rima moved to place her head on Shiki's lap and closed her eyes. When she opened her eyes, Shiki was looking down at her. His blank dull eyes looking into hers. She reached up and took the Pockey stick out of his mouth. There was almost only an inch left, and she finished it. "You're looking at me like that again..."

"How long has it been?" he asked. He touched the tips of her fingers to the inside of her arm, and watched as her eyes fluttered, her lids so soft like the wings of a butterfly. She closed her eyes, as he started tracing circles across her soft porcelain skin. She let out a breath as if she was already giving in, and finally reached up, pressing her wrist gently against his lips.

She felt him smile against her wrist. There was no hesitation as his fangs pierced into her skin. She felt her blood pouring out of her and into his mouth. She felt a sting as the slits on her wrist grew wider and wider, causing more blood to pour out. Blood trickled down Shiki's lips down to his chin, and a few drops rained onto Rima's cheek. She reached up and wiped it away with her thumb, and reached it up to her mouth.

"Hey, Shiki," she said, opening her eyes. "You've had too much."

He lowered her hand, putting it gently to her side. There was no sign of satisfaction on his face, just that plain look that never seems to contort into any kind of emotion. "No, I haven't." He dipped his head down, so his lips were right next to her neck, and he started to drink again.

* * *

Kaname looked through the railings of the cell. He looked at Zero with vulture-like eyes. The silver-haired Hunter was slouching, his shoulders so low that he would've fallen facedown to the stone floor if it wasn't for right leg, propped up. Kaname watched as the boy breathed heavy ragged breaths. He was heaving for air, wheezing, clawing at his throat.

"How long do you plan on just standing there, gawking at me?" Zero's voice was raspy, as if there was nothing but sand in his throat. He raised his head, just enough for Kaname to see the blood-red eyes glowering at him. Blood trickled down his chin, as if he's been biting down his lip over and over again and feeding on his own blood. The boy looked like a rabid dog, ready to attack at any moment.

"I was thinking until you were dying, but... oh well," Kaname shrugged, his voice rich and mocking. He lifted the bars of the cell, and walked in as nonchalantly as if he was walking into a café to order a cup of coffee or something. He smiled viciously, as he crouched down in front of Zero. He put his thumb to the boy's chin and tilted up his head so that they could see eye to eye. So that Zero could see him evil mocking smile. "I've been waiting for this day ever since I met you, Kiryuu-kun. Years of training to hunt a vampire, years of so much anger and loathing towards us... You're one of us now, aren't you?"

Zero pulled away from Kaname's hands, hitting his head to the stone wall behind him. He almost swung his arm to punch the Pureblood, but his shackles restrained him. He cringed at the sound of the shackles bouncing against each other. With extreme hunger, his senses are heightened, therefore the sound just sent an echo of ringing noise in his ears. "Look at you..." Kaname continued to mock. "You look so pathetic."

"If you want to kill me, just do it!" Zero said through gritted teeth. "_What are you waiting for_!" His ragged voice echoed through the small and dark room, bouncing off the walls.

"Killing you would be too easy." Kaname's voice grew cold and serious. His eyes narrowed, and there was a dangerous aura that surrounded him. His mood filled the atmosphere like a dark cloud over their heads, ready to unleash thunder and lightning. "And besides, Yuuki would hate me."

Zero's breath hitched at the mention of her name. Two days ago- has it been two days? It felt like an eternity ago- he almost bit her. He almost lost control of the undying hunger inside of him, eating him up inside and out. For years he settled for blood tablets, but it's never been enough. On some days, he would go hunting, then drink the blood off his game. But he hasn't been hunting for the past few weeks. And it even has been a miracle that he lasted a month before breaking down like this.

"Yuuki... has been distracted lately," Kaname said, his voice still ice cold but now tinged with concern as he thought about her. "She's worried about you." He lowered his face and looked Zero straight in the eyes. "And I hate it. What does she see in you?"

Zero didn't respond. He didn't know what to say. For all he knew she was really just that way. But before he could respond with a sarcastic remark, Kaname was already leaning closer to him, the collar of his shirt open so that Zero could see his neck perfectly. "W-what are you doing?"

"Drink," Kaname said, his voice a hollow sound of which has no emotion. "It'll make you feel better."

They spent full five minutes arguing and debating about his offer. Zero stood his ground, not wanting anything to do with the vampire, not wanting his pure blood running through his veins. "Set your pride aside and just drink, Kiryuu!" Kaname's voice grew thunderous and impatient, as he slapped Zero. His hand moved so swiftly Zero didn't even feel his hand touch his face, but his cheeks started to sting and redden after a few seconds. Zero's eyes grew wide, which gave a rather dramatic effect due to the red orbs that replaced his once human irises. "Drink," Kaname said again, this time more firmly. He buttoned down his shirt even more, and raised his hand to prick the side of his neck with his index finger. He leaned close to Zero, so close that he could feel Zero's breath on his neck.

Zero hesitated, but he was losing it. He was losing every ounce of sanity to the hungry monster inside him, and just like that everything snapped. All humanity inside of him had vanished, and before he knew it, he was tasting Kaname's thick blood on his tongue. He made no more restraints as he let the animal inside of him out of his cage. He grabbed onto Kaname, his fingers digging into the man's skin. He took in every drop of Kaname's blood hungrily, cherishing its taste in his mouth. He has never tasted anything so good, so rich, so... _pure_. And powerful.

_If they are siblings, then..._

_is this how Yuuki tastes like, too?_

And just like that, his mind was filled with images of the girl. Her big brown eyes, her big smile, her cheerful voice. Her curiosity, her innocence, her faith, her hope... her humanity. _Zero_, he could hear her call his name distantly.

_Zero. _

_Zero._

_Zero!_

Finally he broke out of it. He realized how deep his fangs were in Kaname's neck. Terrified. Embarrassed. Ashamed. Prideful. He retracted from the man, and Kaname did the same. The Pureblood stood up, and buttoned up his shirt, fixing his tie so casually as if the exchange hadn't happened.

Zero could still taste Kaname's blood lingering in his mouth, dripping off his chin, staining his clothes. How much did he drink? He wiped the mess off of his chin with sleeve of his shirt, the sound of the chains clashing together no longer as painful as it had been. He felt stronger now, more in control. His thirst has been quenched and he felt human again. But he felt awful and disgusting, as well. He ought to be grateful but it just killed him, knowing that Kaname Kuran's blood is flowing through his veins. That Kaname Kuran saved his life. That he now owes Kaname Kuran.

"I will call the Chairman and tell him you're okay," Kaname said. He turned to leave, but before he stepped out of the cell, he stopped. And without turning, in a low deadly voice he said, "Now, don't you forget who it was that bought you another day, Kiryuu."

* * *

_**Oh my gosh you guys, thank you for the support so far! I might not be able to update for a really long time because school is getting pretty busy and I am so behind! Ugh! So please just be patient with me!**_

_**Oh, and the first part of the chapter with Shiki and Rima? I don't know, it wasn't really relevant to the story. I just really shipped them so much and I just had to write something about them. Haha!**_


	8. Chapter 8

After his disappearance for two days, Zero was back. He was the same as he had been days ago- he still kept to himself most of the time, acing all his tests, glaring at anyone who dares come within a feet closer to him. But there was definitely something off. Yuuki just couldn't quite put her finger on it. _Well, as long as he doesn't completely shut me out, then I guess it's okay...?_ she thought.

"Hey, Yuuki," it was Yori, snapping her out of her thoughts. Yuuki looked over at her. "What did you get?"

"Huh?" Yuuki asked, dumbfounded. As usual.

Yori let out a sigh, and reached over to take a paper from Yuuki's desk. She didn't even know there was a paper in front of her. Yori's face contorted into a look of pain, then exhaustion, then disappointment, and finally, disapproval. But she masked it all out with a humble and encouraging smile, as she passed the paper back to Yuuki. As the paper settled down, a big red _F_ stood out to her. Yuuki did her best on this test, studied the whole night, and focused on each number and letter. She felt her insides crumble to pieces, her mind exploding, her spirit leaving her body.

"I thought you were getting Zero to tutor you," Yori said. Concern was evident in her voice. Yuuki felt warmth from inside of her, knowing that Yori cares so much about her and even her studies. She's known this human girl for about three months now, and so far she has been the closest thing she had to a friend.

"Yeah, but..." Yuuki slowly looked over her shoulder and up at Zero, whose eyes were shut. His chin rested lightly on the palm of his hand, and his breathing was shallow and quiet. He was obviously asleep. Slowly and soundlessly, she reached up, and took the paper from his desk. When he made no sign that he felt her, she scooted in closer with Yori.

"What?!" They both said simultaneously, their eyes widening at the same time. They looked at each other, then at the paper, then back again. There was a big red _A+_ on the top of the paper. Their eyes rummaged around the paper, at the clean handwriting and the neat organization of the numbers. "How did this- He barely even- He doesn't even- How?!"

"Maybe he was born smart," Yori said.

"Maybe he's a genius," Yuuki said.

"I don't get it," Yori said, examining the paper more closely. She looked at Zero's A+ then at her A. "Obviously, I study more than he does. I doubt he even has time to study."

"Maybe-"

"Maybe you two should shut up and give me back my paper." The angry voice sent shivers down the two girls' spines, and they looked over their shoulder, only to be petrified by Zero's deadly glare. Yuuki took the paper from Yori, and slowly reached it up to Zero, who snatched it away from her in one swift motion. He then looked away, out the window, his head still resting on his hand. She wondered what he was thinking. She wondered where he's been.

She wondered what the Chairman was hiding from him.

"See? I told you he was smart," Yori nudged her in the ribs. "Go ask him."

Yuuki breathed in, swallowing her pride, then nodded to Yori. She turned around in her seat to face Zero, but she only caught sight of his silver hair as he walked out of the classroom. "Damn it!" she said under her breath as she turned to sit properly. "Damnitdamnitdamnit!"

* * *

After a full hour of just staring blankly at the TV screen, Zero finally turned it off. For a moment, he just sat there in the living room, thinking of what to do. He leaned his head back, resting them against the chair, and closed his eyes. He wanted to sleep, but he couldn't. His mind was buzzing with thoughts. Words kept swirling in his head, faces just flashing by.

He suddenly remembered Kaname, and the taste of his blood. He remembered how powerful he felt after he was done feeding on the Pureblood, as if the blood coursing through his veins were made of power itself. And when the Chairman came down and released him, he felt a new burst of energy come over him. And he knew he shouldn't waste that much adrenaline.

He went hunting, even though he didn't have a list. The Level E vampires' faces flashed across his mind. There was nothing but insanity in their dead lifeless eyes, they were filled with lunacy. He tried to think of them when they were still human, to at least be able to show mercy and compassion, but none came. He wondered if he really was heartless, or if the Level E has just sunken down to such a low level that no one will even be able to resurrect their humanity.

_Someday I'm going to be one of them. Someday I'm going to die by the hands of a Hunter. Someday the Chairman promised he'd do it. Someday I'm going to have the same craze in my eyes. _

_Someday might come sooner_-

His eyes flew open, as his chest started to tighten. The turmoil in his stomach was back, and he started to feel what he felt just a few days ago. A familiarity in the atmosphere, utter chaos and destruction. Blood. Evil. He jumped to his feet, sensing it so close. He moved to where his senses told him to go to, and somehow, it lead him to the kitchen. he aura grew stronger and stronger, so strong that it was almost a ringing in his ears. By instinct, without even realizing it, he was already holding his gun.

And as he entered the kitchen, he found Yuuki slouched over, writing something into a sheet. As if sensing his presence, she looked up with big curious eyes. "Eh? Are you really planning to shoot me?"

He frowned, but lowered his gun. He stepped into the room, looking from left to right, but there was nothing. And the aura was gone. Just like that. So abruptly, as if someone was really messing with his head. "Zero, are you okay?"

He shifted his gaze back to Yuuki, and a softness in her eyes almost broke his heart. He turned to leave, but before he could step outside, she called out to him. He looked over his shoulder, and found her gesturing for him to come over. "C'mere, c'mere!" Like an idiot he did, unable to stop himself from moving towards her. He knew it wasn't her using her Pureblood powers over him- because how can she when she's perfectly human?- but it was him. His body was moving on his own accord, and there was another tightening in his chest. Not like the one before, this one almost feels... good...? It sent warmth in his stomach, where it felt like there was a tornado in it, ripping his organs to shreds. The sensation he was feeling right now, as he stood next to her, as she pulled him down so that he was sitting next to her, is so peculiar. It' s nothing he has ever felt before. What is this?

"Zero-" she snapped her fingers in front of his eyes, breaking him out of reverie, "are you listening to me? And why are you looking at me like that? Eh- do I have something on my face?!"

"N-no, it's nothing," he said quietly, looking away from her.

"Zero!" she cried. She yanked at the sleeve of his shirt, and forced him to look at her. And when he was looking at her, she kept on tapping at that one spot on her paper, filled with numbers and symbols and letters. "I don't get this!" She groaned, frustrated, and she started pulling at her hair. Somehow, seeing her like this made him want to not see her like this. He didn't like seeing her so frustrated, so stressed, so tense... _What is this?!_

He scooted his chair closer to her, and took hold of her pencil. He made direct eye contact, making sure she was listening. "Ah, okay, I think I got it now!" she said after about an hour and a half.

Zero looked out the window, and found the sun almost setting. "Zero?" he turned to look at Yuuki, who didn't bother looking up from her paper. "Um... where were you? For the past two days?"

The question struck him. He didn't really make something up for her, for he didn't expect she'd even notice his absence. _She's worried about you. _He didn't pay attention to Kaname's words when he'd said it, but now... "I was getting sick of this place and I just had to get out." Not completely a lie, but most definitely not the truth. He didn't know what he was so afraid of. Why can't he just tell her? Is it his pride? Is it...

Finally, she looked up from her paper. "Are you okay now?" she asked. He just nodded. Because no, he wasn't okay. "Oh..." she chuckled nervously. "You got me worried there! I thought you left because of me. I thought maybe I was pushing you too far and that somehow you just got annoyed! Hehehe..."

"Yuuki..." He had no idea where all this was coming from. Why would she think it's her fault? Well, yeah, he thought she was annoying, but if anything, that's what the only think he likes about this place. There was a sudden warmth in his cheeks as he thought the thought. _Yuuki is the only thing I like about this place_. There was a sudden impulse in his body. A need. A hunger. And before he could stop himself, he had his arms wrapped around her. He breathed in, taking in the scent of her. He could feel her go rigid for a moment, but then she relaxed in his arms. He could feel his heart beating like crazy in his chest, his mind buzzing with so many questions. What was he doing? What is this all of a sudden? What's that feeling in his stomach, rapidly spreading throughout his whole body like an infection? Why does he like this? Why does he like the feeling of having her in his arms? Feeling her heart beating against his? Why does he want this so bad? Why can't he let go? Why? _Yuuki... why?_


	9. Chapter 9

Yuuki lay awake in her bed. She could hear Yori's consistent breathing patterns as she slept in the bed across hers. The dorm room was dark, except for the light coming from the moon, filtering through the silk curtains. She couldn't sleep, she kept on stirring and getting tangled up in her sheets. And every time she closed her eyes, all she could see was Zero, as if the image of him was imprinted on the back of her lids. He looked a knight- with his silver white hair, those luminous orbs for eyes, that posture that says he doesn't have his guard down, and the gun he always held. And there's also so much pain, so much. And somehow, she wished she could take some of them away from him.

She raised her arm to cover her eyes. She shouldn't feel this way. Her fate was entwined with Kaname's, their hearts beat for each other, they were meant to be- _supposed_ to be. So, why does she feel this way for Zero? Why is she so drawn to him? Why is there a commotion stirring inside her every time he looks at her? And when he held her yesterday, why didn't she push him off? Why did she let her feeling go this far?

Tears stung in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. She let her arm fall down to her side, as she blinked away her tears. She wasn't crying. Not now, not ever. That was what she promised herself as she spent 16 years of her life in the dark depths of her room in the Kuran manor. That seemed so far away now. She remembered the tiresome routine of breathing, but not living. The only thing she ever did was read. She fell in love with it, and she went on adventures with her fictional friends, but it wasn't enough... Reading about things just made her yearn for the real thing.

"_The outside world is different from the one written on pages_." Aidou was the one who told her that. And he has never been more right. The words written on pages are beautiful, but the real thing was so... ecstatic. The feeling of actually being outside, physically, not just mentally, is so fulfilling. It is the greatest feeling ever. It was like tasting your own freedom.

Yuuki felt movement to her side, and found that Yori was sitting on the edge of her bed, with a glass of water in her hand. She let out a yawn, as she set the glass on her bedside table. Yuuki shifted to her side, so that she was looking at Yori. "Eh? You're still awake?" the girl asked, as she slipped into her bed, on her side, so that she faced Yuuki.

"I couldn't sleep," Yuuki said. "Yori... do you know what it feels like to be lonely?" She didn't know where the question came from, but there it was, flooding out of her mouth.

There was silence, a pause that seemed to stretch on for hours and hours. For a moment, Yuuki thought Yori had fallen asleep, but after an eternity of silence, Yori finally broke the silence. Her voice was quiet, but thick, as if she's been crying. "You... are the only person I consider as a friend," she said. "I grew up in a mansion so big I could barely find my parents. And they're both always at work... I was so detached from everything, afraid of human contact..." she let out a chuckle. "I'm sorry... to answer your question, yes. I know what it's like to be lonely. Do you?"

Before she could stop herself, Yuuki was already getting out of bed, and climbing in to join Yori. Yori scooted over to give her space. "For sixteen years, the only person I've ever known was Kaname-sama-" she stopped, realizing what she's doing. She was just about to tell Yori the whole story. She shivered down to her core at the realization of that.

"Oh, so that's why you're so close to him, huh," Yori said. All Yuuki could do was nod. Not a single person can know of her relationship with Kaname- it was one of the conditions they'd agreed on.

Her mind travels back to that night, her eyes wet with tears as she tried to talk Kaname into letting her come with him to Cross Academy. They've made a lot of deals, vows, and promises that can't be broken no matter what. And one of them was disguising herself as Kaien Cross's human daughter. It was a part of her laying low, away from the predators, the man from the past who kept on haunting them. All she had to do was hide in Kaname's shadow and conceal herself from that man. The man who murdered their parents sixteen years ago.

* * *

"There it is again," Zero mumbled as he started to feel the sickening sensation all over again. It just comes and it just goes. His chest tightened, his stomach turned, his finger hovered above the trigger, ready to shoot at anyone who comes through the door. There was a commotion in the stables at the sight of his gun, all the horses in the stables started kicking, except for White Lily who just laid peacefully next to him. He reached up and petted his horse, "Good girl."

Then he heard a giggle, and he felt his heart skip a beat. He sat up, and White Lily bolted up as well. He was sure it didn't come from the Day class girls, their giggles were usually immature and annoying. And besides, their classes were still in session. No, this was different. This was wrong. Cold and deadly, almost... familiar. "Zero-kun..." it was a gentle whisper, a breeze of soft wind tickling the insides of his ears. He cringed at the sound of it. "Did you miss me?" His eyes widened with recognition. He jumped to his feet, frantically searching for the source of the voice.

Next to him, Lily was already thrashing around, throwing hay all over the place. Zero grabbed her by the mane, and started gently patting her, calming her down despite his heart beating erratically. "What a pretty little human girl," the voice said again. An image of Yuuki flashed through his mind, and before he could stop himself, he was running out of the stables. He could hear all the ruckus coming from the horses going wild, but he couldn't turn back. He needed to find Yuuki.

Could it really be that woman? The Madly Blooming Princess. The one who gave him this curse. _If you touch Yuuki_, he thought. _I swear I'm not holding back. I will kill you, Shizuka Hiou. _The thought sent another frustrated thought into his head. If it was a different person, if it was just some girl from Day class, would he be running towards that woman to save her or just for his vendetta? Would he care this much if it wasn't Yuuki?

"Oy, Kiryuu," he heard someone say. He recognized it as the voice of the Night Class' snot prince, Aidou Hanabusa. He paid no attention to the arrogant bloodthirsty monster, but he stopped dead in his tracks at his next words. "So you could feel it, too, huh?" Zero looked over his shoulder, and found Aidou leaning against a tree, studying his cuticles. He raised his blue eyes to look at Zero. "You weren't here for the past two days so I don't know you know, but... Yuuki's been spending a lot of time with the new girl. You should probably look after her." Zero looked at him curiously, and Aidou's face started to redden. "Not that I care what you two do," he said, looking away.

"New girl?" Zero repeated. No one told him about any new students.

"Eh? You don't know? Geez, what kind of prefect are-"

"Just tell me who the new girl is!" Zero raised his voice impatiently, pointing his gun at the Noble, who raised his arms in surrender.

"Her name is Maria Kurenai," then he grinned. "Familiar, isn't it?"

"Kurenai..."

"Are very close relatives of the Hiou," Aidou said, finishing the Hunter's thought.

"That woman has Yuuki," Zero said under his breath. He didn't know why he said it, but he did. A sudden anger filled him, and it made him want to scream at the top of his lungs. Before Aidou could say anything more, Zero continued to run towards the dangerous aura. Images from the past filled his head, and he felt as if he was reliving that day. Seeing his father stumble into the room, fingers protruding out of his chest. And as he fell to the ground, he revealed Shizuka Hiou, with all her predatory elegance and deadly beauty and her savage appetite. She remembered the way she looked at him- straight into his eyes- and he remembered seeing a flicker of something. An emotion. He didn't know what it was, but there was something. And he knew it was important, probably the biggest piece of the puzzle.

The familiarity, the sense of déjà vu, grew stronger and stronger. The sensation was overwhelming. And finally, he spotted Yuuki, talking to-

Zero stopped. He felt his heart stop beating altogether. His organs stopped to function as he lost himself. It wasn't her. But it was her. She had the same silver hair, but she was smaller, and she seemed almost frail. She showed no evidence that she possessed power as strong as Shizuka did. She looked over her shoulder and straight into Zero's eyes, a grin spreading over her thin lips. There it was. A flash of recognition. She turned away, and talked to Yuuki, whose face was flustered.

Zero finally broke out. He marched toward the two girls, and as he drew closer, he saw the vampire's hands holding onto Yuuki's. A flash of frustration surged inside him, anger fuelling his veins. He slapped the girls hand away, with a deadly gaze, and dragged Yuuki away from her.

* * *

Yuuki was too dazed to react. Zero held onto her wrist, his nails digging into her flesh. She didn't know whether to thank him or slap him for dragging her out of her conversation with Maria like that. As much as she wanted to leave that awkward conversation, she didn't want it to end so rudely. _He's back, isn't he? Your friend? You seem so much... like yourself now._ She wondered if it's really been obvious, her concern towards Zero, for the past two days. _You really like him, don't you?_

Zero continued to drag her, until they vanished into the woods, surrounded by nothing but tall trees. "Z-zero," she cried. "Where are we going?"

"What do you think you're doing, letting down your guard around a Pureblood? She could've taken advantage of you! You might be a Pureblood but the ones who doesn't know, you're just food!" His grip around her wrist continued to tighten. His nails dug further into her skin, until crimson liquid started oozing out of her.

She heard Zero's breath hitched as he stopped so abruptly. "Zero, is everything okay? You're acting really weird."

Zero didn't answer, but his whole body went rigid. Yuuki took a step forward, and went around him so that she was facing him. And what she saw was really bizarre.

Zero held his hand up to his neck, as if he was trying to choke himself. And he was gasping for breath, as if he was having an asthma attack. But what really caught her attention were his eyes. His eyes were...

His eyes were wide and... _red_. Red like blood, glowering at her. And blood trickled down his chin as... fangs grazed his lower lip.


	10. Chapter 10

"Get away from me," Zero said through gritted teeth. "Please. Yuuki run away from me." His red eyes were pleading, and yet they also showed extreme hunger and yearning for the taste of blood.

Yuuki stood frozen in front of him. She didn't know what to do, what to say, what to think. It was all too much to process. Zero, who hated vampires more than anything, is a vampire? And if he really was a vampire, when does he feed? Who does he feed on? Where- How- Why- What- What's happening? Does the Chairman know? Does Kaname know? Surely, Kaname knows. He knows everything. He knows what you're thinking before you even start to think. How long has everyone been hiding this from her? If Kaname knew, then why didn't he tell her? _I don't understand_. Her mind swirled with questions, and it was dizzying.

A sharp painful sting snapped her out of reverie. She realized Zero had bitten into her wrist. She knew she should resist, stop him, push him off, but... the feel of his lips touching her skin, the warm sensation that filled her inside and out... This brought her back to the first time she saw him, how there was instantly something that drew her to him. She wanted to figure him out, wanted to let him know that it's okay to let his guard down, wanted him to know that she's there for him. She wanted to help him. And this was her helping him out.

He broke away, just a little, as he started darting out his tongue and licking the blood trailing off her wrist. He held up her hand, licking it clean of anything crimson on its surface. She made no resistance, no move to stop him, as he reached up to her neck, the top buttons of her shirt snapping out. She could feel his hot breath on her neck, and it sent shivers down her spine, raising every hair of her body. She cringed as she felt her back hit hard against a bark of tree. She gasped as he bit down into her neck.

Zero didn't restrain himself either. She could just imagine him losing his humanity as he took in each drop if her blood. And what happens when this all ends? It would wreck him for sure. He wouldn't be able to look at her, or even be in the same room as her. And she didn't want that. She wanted to be by his side, wanted to continue to help him. She wanted to be his friend. Or even more, she wanted him to see him as his family.

"Zero..." Yuuki started feeling dizzy from the blood loss. But instead of holding back, his fangs only went deeper into her skin. He completely closed the distance between them as he pinned her up against the tree. "Zero..." Her eyes grew heavy, and her vision started to blur. She was going to pass out. And if she doesn't stop him, she might not wake up at all.

* * *

Zero vanished into the thick fog of his lunacy. The monster inside him had consumed everything that used to be human, replacing every bit of him with extreme hunger. He didn't hold back. He couldn't stop. He could feel her against him, her heart beating against his, her breathing shallow and quiet, the sound of her blood flowing echoing in his ears. He knew it was Yuuki. He knew he was killing her. He reached for her hand, as if somehow it would make her feel better. He squeezed, letting her know everything was going to be okay, even though clearly it wasn't. His grip on her hand only grew harder and tighter, as the hunger grew even more inside him. He was afraid he was going to break her wrist. He was killing her. He could hear her voice, but it was distant, clouded by the sound of her blood rushing towards his lips. _Stop_... he willed himself. But he couldn't. Every bit of self control he had had vanished.

_Yuuki... Yuuki... Yuuki? Yuuki! _Her name was like music, a melody he couldn't get out of his head. _Yuuki_. His breath hitched, and finally, he was able to break away. He looked up and found that all the color has drained from her body. Her eyes were closed, and her breathing had gone shallow. Blood trickled down her neck, staining her clothes. She was unconscious. If it wasn't for his body against hers, she would've fallen to the ground.

Horror, guilt, and hatred for himself struck him. How could he have done this? He could he have given in so easily? He felt ashamed for enjoying the taste of her blood. He felt ashamed for wanting more. He felt ashamed... He held her up by the shoulders, shaking her. But her head just swayed from side to side. A small sound escaped her mouth, her eyes fluttering like the wings of a butterfly, but not quite opening. "Zero..."

Zero was filled with relief. He breathed in, and held her closer to him, squeezing her in his arms. She's alive. He hadn't killed her. But-

A hand grabbed him by the shoulder, yanking him away from the girl. The next thing he knows, he's lying on the ground, his jaw throbbing with pain. He looked up and found Kaname, looking down at him. His eyes darkened with so much anger. He was just burning with so much hate as he stared at the monster that was once Zero.

Zero sat up, but didn't make a move. Zero knew he deserved that anger. He made no move to defend himself as Kaname grabbed him by his collar and started punching him over and over. He didn't fight even when his head started to throb. He accepted each blow. "Kill me, Kuran," he said quietly. His voice came out hoarse, and he spat out his own blood at the ground. His voice had gone emotionless, his mental state as numb as his whole body.

"No," Kaname said spitefully. "Live with this, Zero." He let go of Zero, letting him fall back down to the ground. He turned to Yuuki, who was slumped against the tree, unconscious. He picked her up into his arms, the way Zero will never be able to again. "Get your hands off my sister." He walked away, Yuuki's head resting on his shoulder.

Zero accepts the fact that she hates him now. Acknowledges that that's how it should've been since the beginning. But he didn't know it'd hurt like this. Letting her go hurt. Hurt more than Kaname's full strength punches. Knowing that he would never see that gentleness in her, feel the warmth of her, her contagious happiness, the way she smiles at him.

All this time she was all that made him human. All the time she's been... _What_ _are you thinking, Zero? Why are you being so stupid? She's just a girl. An annoying spoiled brat. _he thought to himself.

Zero knew this could never happen again. He had to end it before things get worse.

* * *

Yuuki's eyes fluttered open, and it took a moment before her vision focused. When it finally did, she was staring up red velvet curtains. This isn't my room. She stirred, and for the first time, felt an arm around her shoulder. She turned her head, and found Kaname asleep next to her. _Eh?_

And everything that happened came rushing back to her. Zero. Vampire. Her blood. She reached up to her neck and found that the bite had been bandaged.

She sat up, slowly, trying not to wake Kaname. She threw her feet off the side of the bed, but before she could stand up, she felt Kaname's hand around her wrist. With one swift movement, she was lying next to him, his arm protectively caging her. His soft hair tickled her cheek. "Kaname-sama, Zero..."

"Could've killed you," he said bitterly. His arm grew tighter around her. "Are you okay? Just say it, and I will take you away-"

"I want to see him," she said before he could finish.

Kaname's arm loosened up, and she could feel his sadness clouding the atmosphere of the room. "You want to see him? After what he's done to you?"

Yuuki sat up and shifted so that she was facing him, looking down at him. "It wasn't his fault, onii-sama!"

"Do you know what this means?" his voice sounded deadly serious. "Half of your senses have awoken. Just one more stage before you fully turn back, and if-"

"You really don't trust me?" she was surprised by the intensity of her voice. She hadn't meant to be rude or even angry. But she couldn't seem to control her emotions. She didn't mean to say the words she said next. "All my life, you've dictated my every move. I was basically your puppet. And for some stupid reason, I didn't put up a fight, I obediently did everything you say. This is my life and I want to be able to do as I please! And right now, I want to see Ze-" She stopped herself before she could say anymore. Before she even realized she was crying, Kaname already sat up, wiping a teardrop away with his thumb. He leaned in closer and kissed both her eyes, then on her forehead. Without another word, he laid back down on his side, facing away from her.

She took this as a sign that he's letting her go. She jumped out of bed and ran out of the Moon dorm. She didn't realize how weak she felt until she reached the Chairman's office. Her whole body felt heavy and light at the same time. So heavy that she could barely keep her shoulders up, yet so light that she felt like a single breeze of wind would take her away. She opened the door, and stumbled in. The Chairman was quick on his feet, catching her in his arms, and guiding her to an armchair. He crouched in front of her, his hands on both of hers. "Yuuki, I'm really sorry about what happened," he said, his voice soft and soothing. "Poor girl, you look white as paper, maybe you should-"

"I want to see him, Chairman," Yuuki said.

The Chairman looked up at her sadly. "He's in his room."

* * *

The barrel of the gun was cold against the side of Zero's head. His finger has been hovering over the trigger for what seemed like five minutes, but he couldn't quite bring himself to pull it. But as his thoughts wandered back to the events of the day, the drive to do it gets stronger and stronger by the second. His fangs in Yuuki's neck, her blood on his lips, the taste lingering on his tongue... and... and... that girl- the woman.

And out of a blue he heard her voice, thick and mocking. "Zero, did you like it? You did, didn't you?" There was a giggle. Her voice sent shivers down his spine, and anger exploded in his veins. He jumped to his feet, letting his hand fall to his sides. "You want more? Come have some more... Zero..." Zero cringed, slapping his hands flat onto his ears, blocking out the cold darkness in her voice. He could sense all over the place, hovering in the atmosphere above him. "Zero... come to me..."

His eyes popped wide open. He jumped onto his feet, letting his arms fall to his sides. He gave out a low chuckle and a menacing grin. "Before I kill myself," he said through gritted teeth. His feet seemed to move at their own accord as he walked across the room. "I will kill you." He held out the gun as his hand touched the doorknob. "_Shizuka Hiou_!" He swung the door open, extending his arm so that the barrel of his gun was right on her forehead-

"Eh? Zero?" But it wasn't Shizuka. It was Yuuki, her hand in midair as if she was just about to knock. Her eyes were wide and confused. Zero lowered his gun, and carelessly tossed it behind him. It fell with a loud thud, accompanied by the sound of shattering glass. He cringed. "Zero!" Yuuki said. He looked up and found that she was frowning at him. He pushed him aside and welcomed herself into his room. "You shouldn't toss a gun around like that, it's dangerous! And are you just always going to point your gun at me, is that we kids these days say hello?!"

He stood by the door, taken aback. He was having a hard time comprehending all this- surprised to see her standing outside his door, surprised that she's in his room, and most of all, shocked beyond belief that she could be so nonchalant and casual as though what happened never happened. And just like that, with her standing there, he forgot everything about Shizuka.

He watched, stunned, as Yuuki crouched down, picking up the pieces of whatever had crashed onto the floor. She peered at him over her shoulder, and smiled sweetly. Zero felt warmth on his face, and hoped that she didn't notice. She stood up and turned to face him, holding out a picture frame. It was a picture of them during the first day of school. Of course, Zero wasn't smiling. But Yuuki was. And every day since that day, he has found life a bit more bearable as he woke up to that face.

He walked across the room and grabbed the picture from her hand. He reached behind her and set it on the bedside table, and he crouched down to pick up the shattered glass that she seemed to have dropped as she picked up the picture. "What are you doing here?" he asked sternly.

"I wanted to see if you were okay," she said, as she plopped down his bed. She grabbed his pillow and hugged it to her chest. She breathed in, breathing in the scent of him.

Zero scoffed. "_You_ want to see if _I_'m _okay_?" he stood up and threw the glasses away. "I think you're forgetting who the real victim here is."

"Well... personally, I think Zero-kun is the victim here." Zero was taken aback by her answer. She never fails to surprise him. "I think that secret of yours must've been hard to keep. Zero-kun already has the world on his shoulders, that secret must've been just excess weight, huh. How did you hide? Blood tablets? I saw what the tablets did to vampires. They're not enough, are they? I want you to know, Zero, that you don't have to be afraid... because I'm not afraid, and... if you're hungry, I wouldn't stop you if you feed on me again." She unbuttoned her shirt, and slid the dollar down, so that her shoulder was exposed.

"You're funny," Zero said, without as much as a chuckle. In one swift motion, she was underneath him. Their faces were only a few inches away, and he could see how red she was turning. Her eyes were wide, her muscles tensed. But as she started to relax under him, her eyes closed slowly. His breath hitched as she turned her head to the side, giving him full access to her neck. He touched her face, just because he wanted to. Her cheek was warm. Electricity shot down his arm as his skin touched hers, and she slid his hand down to the side of her neck. He could feel her heart beating fast. He dipped his head down, his mouth touching her skin. He breathed down on her neck and he breathed her in. He didn't want to feed on her. He just wanted to stay like this, this close, or maybe a little bit closer. He wanted to keep the electricity flowing in his veins. He wanted to feel the warmth of her on the palm of his hand. He wondered how her lips would feel against his-

He sat up before he could do something stupid. He looked down at her, and found that she squeezed her eyes shut. She looked as if she was anticipating pain. She slowly opened her eyes, then turned to look up at him. She blinked. "Eh?"

"Get out of my room," he said, getting off of her. "You're the one who keeps saying it's inappropriate for a boy to be in a girl's room. So what if the girl is in a boy's room, huh?"


	11. Chapter 11

Maria Kurenai sat across from Kaname. She looked bored and she's been yawning for the past hour, but she still maintained her elegant posture. She was truly a princess. She studied Kaname's chess board, her eyes darting to and fro. From knights to crushed pawns, to the opposing kings and queens. As if understanding, a mischievous smile crept across her face, lighting up her face with an animalistic glow. Her eyes narrowed. "I see we're on the same page," she said.

When she spoke, it was with a little girl's soft tone. But Kaname could hear through all the deception. The voice he heard was of a powerful woman. But not quite as powerful as him. "You're wrong," he said, with a mocking good-natured smile. He rested his head on the palm of his hand. "I'm always three steps ahead." He paused, then added, "But I'll play by your rules. For now." Without reaching out to touch the black knight, he moved it to the silver queen. They both watched as the knight glided across the board, as if moving by its own accord. It stopped abruptly beside the queen.

The woman inside the child let out a laugh. Thick and full of cruelty. She stopped with a smile- a real, friendly one, as odd as that is. "It's been a fun game, Kaname." She got up from her seat, and turned to leave. But she stopped as she reached the big double doors. She removed the pins of her hair, and ruffled it. Her hair now a tangle of silver silk.

"And what on earth are you doing?" Kaname asked, watching her with scrutinizing eyes.

"Your subjects," she said with a low chuckle, "they hate seeing me come out of your room. Especially Souen's daughter. Ruka Souen? She seems to be pining after you. How sweet..." she let out another giggle. "I once pined after someone. Turned out to be a big mistake. Tragic thing isn't it? To fall in love? And to know that the person you're in love with wouldn't reciprocate your feelings..." she looked over her shoulder, and their eyes met. She looked mockingly into his narrowed angry eyes. "Good day, Dorm Leader Kuran."

* * *

"Ah, Kiryuu-kun!" the Chairman beamed as Zero entered his office. "Thank you for coming, and I think you'd be glad to hear that I have a little assignment for you-" he paused as he pushed his chair back and opened the drawers of his desk, rummaging through piles and piles of documents. "Ah, here it is!" He took out an envelope, and handed it to Zero. "From the Association. You'll have to go out to town for today."

Zero took the envelope, already feeling the surge of adrenaline through his veins.

* * *

Yuuki had no idea what was happening. She sat in a booth of an ice cream parlor, with Zero drinking a cup of tea across from her. He looked calm as usual, and of course he was quiet. He had barely said a word since they sat down, but she could feel her cheeks warming every time he looked at her. _What is happening to you?!_ she asked herself.

She remembered how she got here- Zero had knocked on her door, and said, "Get dressed, we're going somewhere." He had the slightest hint of a smile on his lips, and she knew she couldn't say no- not that he gave her a choice. Zero had looked so gentle, so innocent, so... different. He looked so much more younger, as if the weight of the world has finally been lifted off his shoulders. Three days ago, he had bitten her. Three days ago, he was angry and indifferent to the whole world. Three days ago, he would never have smiled. But now...

He leaned back, as he took another sip of beer. He looked so young and carefree, as if the world was a perfect place. The sun bathed him as its light poured in through the windows, and he looked so serene. He looked down to check his watch, then looked back up at her. "Hurry up, we still have to go somewhere," he ordered. His voice was the same impatient tone, but Yuuki could sense that something is really different here. Something strange, but is it wrong?

Yuuki dug through her big bowl of ice cream like someone who hasn't eaten for days. After some time, the insides of her mouth had gone cold and numb, and her head started to ache. She didn't know how she got out of the shop or if she even finished her ice cream, but the next thing she knew she was sitting in the car that Zero had borrowed from the Chairman.

He kept his eyes straight on the road, focused and intent. She noticed that it was the same way he looked at his target when he's shooting. "Where are we going now?" she asked, boredom evident in her tone. She rested her head against the window, her cheek pressed against the glass.

"Just shut up," he said, snapping with annoyance. They were driving up a mountain, with nothing but a cliff and jagged rocks and certain death on Yuuki's side. But aside from that, she could also see the city. Past the city, she could even still see the Academy. She realized how beautiful it actually was. Everything looks so much beautiful from afar. Everything was so much smaller, so much simpler. From here, you wouldn't even suspect that there are vampires down there. From here, you wouldn't even suspect that there is a girl hiding from a man who killed her parents. From here, everything is beautiful, everything is peaceful. Why can't she just stay here?

Yuuki slightly jerked forward as Zero slammed on the brakes. She looked out and realized he parked on the side of the road, just before a sloping cliff. Without a word, he got out of the car. He walked to her door, and like a gentleman, opened it for her. She stepped out, unsure of what to expect. Before he knew what was happening, he grabbed her by the waist, and slid her on top of the hood's car. Before she could react, he was sitting right next to her, their shoulders touching. "I come here most of the time," he said, in a soothing and quiet voice. A tone she has never heard him use. "It's beautiful up here, isn't it?"

"Yeah," she said in a small voice, too mesmerized by the view. Everything was so small that she was surprised to even be able to see some people. They were nothing but moving dots. Suddenly, she felt his eyes on her. She looked up, returning his gaze.

He shook his head. "Don't look down, look at the sky." She did as he said, and her eyes widened, overwhelmed. The sun was almost setting, and the sky was painted with so many colors. She knew he didn't take his eyes off her, but she didn't care. She was too taken aback by what she was seeing. The sky was a mixture of splats of different colors, different shades, contrasting against each other. Everything was like a painting.

A cold breeze came by, and she felt herself shiver, despite the warmth of the sun on her face. Zero scooted over closer, putting his arm around her shoulders, warming her. "It's beautiful," she said. The clouds looked like layers and layers of smoke. Some of them thick and orange, some of them nothing but accents of blue, some even looked like big crashing waves of gray. She knew she didn't know how to draw, but somehow her fingers itched for paper and pastels.

The sun is almost gone, causing the bright colors to seem darker. More violent, more overwhelming, more beautiful. It was all a masterpiece. "Now, look down," Zero whispered in her ear. The warmth of his breath tickled her ears. But she did look down, and found billions of fireflies floating around. They twinkled, each having a different light. She squinted, looking closer... they weren't fireflies, they were city lights. The lights from the buildings, from houses, from lampposts, from the cabs just driving by... All these lights twinkled in her eyes. She closed her eyes as a breeze went by, and found that the little twinkling lights had been imprinted on the back of her lids.

She opened her eyes, her mouth opening in excitement. Zero was just looking at her, and now there really was an actual smile on his lips. His eyes were light and relieved, and she could just sense how relaxed he is. But there was a shift in the atmosphere. For the first time in hours, it was as if she had only realized that they were alone. Just the two of them. Together. With no one else around to see. Suddenly she realized the lack of space between them. The comforting weight of his arm around her. There was a sudden intimacy, and he was so close to her.

He looked into her eyes, then down at her lips, and back again. There was nothing but darkness- no colorful clouds, no twinkling lights. Just him. Just her. He leaned in closer to her, so close that their noses touched. He was so close. Yuuki could feel her heart beating faster by the second, hammering against her chest cavity as if it wants to jump out. _Closer_. She could feel his breath on her mouth. _Closer_. This was it. She closed the few inches that separated their lips. She almost wanted to slap herself for seeming too eager.

Colors exploded at the back of her lids as their mouths clashed into each other. She felt his tongue make its way into her mouth, and intertwining with her tongue. She let out a moan. She could taste him. The beer he had been drinking, the gum he had been chewing, blood... she didn't know why the taste of blood lingered in there, maybe he fed recently, but she didn't care. She wanted this- her lips against his, taking in every flavor on his tongue.

His hand moved up from her waist, and she wrapped her arm around his neck, pulling him in. His hands found themselves up the hem of her shirt. His fingers trailed wild fire across her skin, and he pulled her closer. As if they could get any closer. The kiss deepened, as if it could get any deeper. She found her fingers tangled up in his hair, gently pulling as he bit down her lower lip. He broke away for a moment, both of them gasping for air. But it only took a second before they're back at it again, chewing down on each other's lips. She felt his hands creep higher into her shirt, and for a moment, she thought he would take it off her. But he didn't.

She was almost taken aback by how gentle and careful he was as he handled her. She didn't expect someone as rash as Zero could possibly be so gentle.

His lips left hers, trailing small kisses down her cheek, to her jaw, to her chin, down to her neck. His lips lingered a little longer on the side of her neck, and for a moment, she thought he was going to bite her. But he didn't. He trailed more kisses down to her chest, until his lips finally came crashing back down to her lips. She didn't know how long she could keep doing this. She felt like her lips were going to detach from her face, but she wanted this so bad. She couldn't imagine even stopping. She deepened the kiss, and moaned as his fingers dug into her back. Her hold on his hair got tighter, and she leaned in closer, taking the kiss as far as it can go. She felt his fingers just beneath her bra. She moved her hands down his shoulders, down his neck, and felt for the buttons of his shirt. She unbuttoned them hastily, surprised that she could do it without looking. And before she knew it, her fingers were hovering on the waistband of his jeans. He pulled away, panting. They were both heaving for breaths, their chests rising and falling at the same pace. "What do you want?" he asked, his eyes seeming darker than they were before.

She didn't have to think. She didn't have to hesitate. "You," she said. "You, Zero, I want you."

And for some reason, he looked hurt. He looked as if she had slapped him. He retreated from her, suddenly looking confused and disoriented. He jumped down the hood and started to button up his shirt. He shook his head slowly, "I'm sorry."

"No," Yuuki said. It felt weird to talk. Like she hasn't spoken in forever after what they have been doing. "It's okay. It's my fault." She didn't know what happened. Was it the wrong thing to say? Should she have not said she wanted him? Isn't that what he wanted to hear? _Boys_, she thought. _So complicated._

"It's getting dark, we should probably get back."

Yuuki only nodded. She slipped off the hood of the car, and got in.

The ride home was quiet. Neither of them spoke, giving way for the silence to fill in the atmosphere. Yuuki looked at herself in the mirror- her eyes were wide and wild, her hair was a tangled mess, and her lips were swollen. _They'd know_, she thought. One look and everyone will know. She wanted to slap herself for being so stupid. She shouldn't have let it go that far. She knew she shouldn't feel this way about anyone else but Kaname, and still...

The sky was dark by the time they got back to the Academy. Zero had been nice enough to offer to walk her to the Girls' dorm, and, unable to speak, Yuuki just nodded. Halfway across the courtyard, he reached down to hold her hand. Their fingers fit perfectly, as if he was the sole reason for the spaces between her fingers. She hoped it was dark enough that he couldn't see her face reddening. Her mind wandered all over the place, until finally, she grew used to it. Within a matter of seconds, it was normal. Perfectly normal. Perfectly perfect. Holding hands under the moonlight. She suddenly felt it was all a dream. If it is, she didn't want to wake up.

They stopped as they reached her room. Zero was looking down at their hands, turning it over and over as if studying the way they perfectly fit. Neither of them said anything. They just stood there, silence looming over their heads. But there was nothing awkward about it. There was only hesitation- from detaching from each other- and yearning- for what had happened earlier that day.

Zero looked up to look her in the eyes. "I... really liked today," he said. His voice was quiet, and he almost looked shy. This made him look so much younger.

"I liked it too," Yuuki said, feeling the heat rush up to her cheeks so she just looked down. At their hands. She liked it. Her hand in his somehow made her feel safe and comfortable. But... she smiled to herself. She looked up. "Who are you and what have you done to Zero Kiryuu?" she chuckled.

There it was again, a flash of something she couldn't quite recognize in his eyes. But instead of answering, he reached up with his free hand and touched her by her chin, tilting her head up as he dipped his head down to give her a kiss. This was different from before. This was sweet and short,not as aggressive and hungry as it had been before. This was thoughtful and innocent, as if now they knew that they are each other's- that she was his, and he was hers.

But she knew it couldn't be, for she belongs to someone else. But at least for now, in this moment, she belongs to Zero. As she steps closer and leans into him, as she stands on ths tip of her toes to deepen this kiss, as he surrounds her with his warmth as he wraps his arms around her... she is his. And nothing could be more perfect.

Yuuki couldn't sleep. And that's nothing new. It's always hard for her to sleep. And as always, it's Zero. The image of him, the memory of him, his lingering touch, swirled around her head. She closed her eyes and placed her hand on her chest, vowing to never forget this day.

She suddenly wondered how long he has felt this way. All those days of hating her, could it be that he was masking his feelings for her? And how long had she been waiting for it? How long had she been waiting for his lips, yearning for his warmth, and just wanting him?

The thought sent a painful throb to her heart. _Kaname_. But before she could drown herself in guilt, an urgent knock on the door saved her.

She heard Yori groan as she twisted in her own bed, burying herself in blankets and pillows. Yuuki stood up from her bed, carefully and quietly. She opened the door and felt her heart jump out of her chest. She didn't know how much she missed him until now. Zero stood outside her door, a new intensity filling his eyes.

* * *

**_Okay, so one of my friends told me that their relationship was taking too long to develop, and that she wanted me to take it to the next level. So... here it is! They kissed!_**

**_I had a lot of fun writing this, not only because I really ship them, but also because of a life-shattering plot twist that is definitely headed your way. _**

**_Thank you for reading. There is more to come, but I'm not sure when my next update would be._**

**_Please don't hesitate to review- give me suggestions on what you'd like to see, correct me if you spot a mistake or something, and just tell me what you think._**

**_Thanks!_**


	12. Chapter 12

Zero sat in the kitchen, watching the steam from his coffee fly out of the mug. The adrenaline from earlier has finally worn off, leaving him worn down, exhausted to the bones. Their faces still swirled in his head. Their bloodied corpse, suddenly turning into ash and disintegrating into the air. He hated that. One of the things that made humans human is how they leave their body behind even when their soul has departed. It was so that the ones the deceased left behind could mourn over him. And the fact that a vampire doesn't leave a corpse behind is proof that they are very far from human. Maybe they don't feel the need to mourn, for they don't have the proper heart to love.

He heard a door close shut, and he raised his head, finding Kaien peeking into the kitchen. He looked shyly at Zero, fiddling with the edge of his green scarf. "What time did you get back?"

Zero looked down at his watch. It was 2:30 in the morning. "I got back at one," he said. He picked up his mug and took a sip.

Kaien walked towards him, setting a glass of water next to Zero. Then he tossed a little black box. "You need it," he said kindly.

"I don't," Zero said, pushing it away.

But Kaien insisted, pushing the box toward the younger boy. "Please do me a favor and not make me worry." Before Zero could argue he stood up to leave. But he stopped, looking over his shoulder at the boy. "How's Yuuki?"

The question struck Zero. "I don't know," he said, confused. "Isn't she asleep?"

Kaien turned to face him, seeming just as confused. "This morning she told me you were taking her somewhere."

Zero stood up from his seat so fast that the chair toppled over. His heart pounded in his chest and his hands clenched into fists. "I haven't even seen her all day!" He made his way to the door, suddenly forgetting all the weight that dragged his whole body down, all the exhaustion, all the fatigue. He marched past the Chairman, who called out to him. "Zero, if Yuuki thought that it was you, then could it be..."

"I don't know," Zero answered through gritted teeth. Every fiber of his body wanted to believe it wasn't, but there had been so many evidence. It really was him. There's no denying it. Zero cringed at the thought of it, and images from the past came rushing back to him. He pushed them all away. It was too painful to remember, too painful to be true. "But if it really is him, I just really wish he had died that night." He paused. "So that I wouldn't have to be the one to kill him."

He made his way to the Girls' dorm, not caring about the rules on how boys couldn't enter past bedtime. He was a prefect and he ought to abide the rules, but more than that, he was also a Hunter. A Hunter on a mission. He finally reached Yuuki's door, and he knocked furiously. He didn't care if he wakes the whole floor, or the whole school, he needed to see her. Seconds felt like hours and there was a big heavy metal ball in his stomach, dragging him down. Finally, the door opened.

Everything vanished instantly. He breathed out, and felt as if he's been holding that breath for a million years. Yuuki was very much awake, her eyes very much alive and they lit up even more as at the sight of him. She stepped outside, and quietly closed the door behind her. Her cheeks seemed to be flushed, but he wasn't quite sure. "Did I wake you?" The sudden calm in his voice surprised even him. She nodded without looking up. "Yuuki, listen to me," he said seriously. He placed both his hands on her shoulders and lowered his head so that he looked right into her eyes. "I was out hunting all day." She finally looked up at him, her eyes widening and her breath hitching. She seemed to get what he was saying. "I don't know what you've been doing, but tell me... Are you okay? Did he hurt you? Did he do anything to you? Where did he take you? Are you okay?!"

Her eyes were wide and blank with shock. She was too stunned to speak, but she managed to give him a nod. Relief washed over him and he couldn't help himself. He wrapped his arms tightly around her, taking her into his warmth. He rested his chin lightly on the top of her head. He breathed her in, and he swore that they could stand here like this forever. He couldn't imagine letting her go after what had happened. What if something happened to her? He couldn't imagine what he could do if they did anything to her. He didn't want to let go of her. He didn't know how worried he was until he saw her, safe and sound.

He heard her mumble something, her voice quiet and muffled by his coat. His thoughts clouded his head too much for him to hear. "What?"

There was nothing, for a moment. Then she said it again. A little louder this time, and he could hear every syllable echo in his ears. "He kissed me."

His body went rigid. His blood turned to ice. Every muscle in his body turned to stone. The words kept bouncing off his skull. Finally, he broke away from their embrace. He held her at arm's length, and looked into her eyes. He saw confusion and pain and... something else in them. "He... _kissed_ you?"

"Yes."

Rage burned in his veins. He let his arms fall to his side, his hands clenching into tight fists. They shook uncontrollably. He didn't even know why he was so angry. He didn't even know who gave him the right to feel this way. "Zero, who was he? Why did he look exactly like you?" she asked, looking up to meet his eyes. And she stopped, as if she saw something that scared her. She reached out for his hand, gently covering it with both of hers. "Zero, it's okay-"

"He kissed you, and you just let him?!" He asked, even his voice shaking with frustration.

"Well, yeah, I-I thought he was..._ you_!" She slapped her hands to her face, covering them. He could tell that beneath her slender fingers her face was burning red. He didn't know how to react to that. If it had really been him... If he tried to kiss her right now, this very moment, would she still let him? He walked away before he could do anything stupid. He let his anger and frustration spread like poison inside his body. He suddenly got a sense of where he's going. A whiff of a scent in the air. The atmosphere grew thick and heavy. His feet seemed to move by instinct, as if there was a big boulder of metal that attracted his magnets.

He knew what it was.

It was the bond...

_the Master and her Puppet_.


	13. Chapter 13

"I'm surprised it took you this long to find me, Zero." The voice was cold and haunting. It was deadly and luscious. It was monstrous and filled with bloodlust, and yet, it was inviting. Maria Kurenai is just a vessel, a container. And it seems that Shizuka Hiou had no use for her any longer. The girl lay unconscious on the velvet divan, the only furniture in the room. They were in the ballroom. The heavy curtains were set aside, letting the pale moonlight come through the giant floor-to-ceiling windows. The crystals of the chandelier above twinkled like stars.

Sitting on the edge of the divan was the Madly Blooming Princess herself. She looked down at Maria with a sad smile on her face. And finally, she looked up and met Zero's eyes. "Did you miss me?"

"Truth be told, yes," Zero said spitefully, with a mocking grin on his lips. "I've been waiting for this night for four years, Shizuka."

"Ah, yes," she stood up gracefully. She wore a kimono, one that swayed at her every movement. Her hair fell in elegant silky strands all around her. She looked as beautiful as ever. "For the Master and the Puppet to be together-"

There was a loud noise as shards of shattered glass flew all around the room. There was a strong breeze of wind, and the room was filled with its coldness. Zero raised his arms to cover his face, but a shard still scraped the side of his cheek, trailing a straight line of red blood. There was a flash of movement, so fast that before he knew it, a dark figure shadowed by the moonlight crouched as glass shards rained down all around him. His shoulders shook as he laughed. "Forgive me for the interruption," the boy's voice was soft and gentle, full of dark humor. He slowly stood up to his full height, and Zero felt his heart skip a beat as he realized who it was. He has known all along who he was dealing with, but a part of him has always believed that it was impossible. _Why didn't you just die that night four years ago? _He thought painfully. "But I've always had a thing for dramatic entrances." The familiar boy paused, then turned to face Zero. "You know that, don't you, _dear brother_?"

"Ichiru..." He looked exactly like Zero. But where Zero's expressions are hard and angry, he was the complete opposite. He actually looks happy. He wore the smile Zero never wore. There was a softness to him, a sense of being so carefree. He held a katana in his left hand, playing with it as though it was a mere toy, not an instrument of death.

"Aw," Ichiru pouted. He cocked his head to the side, mocking his twin. "You don't seem too happy to see me." A corner of his lip quirked up, and his eyes lit.

"I told you not to come, Ichiru," it was Shizuka. She sounded annoyed and aggravated. Her face was blank porcelain, but anger radiated from every pore of her body. "You're not supposed to be here."

"Forgive me, Shizuka-sama, I just wanted to see my brother, that's all." He walked towards the woman, and knelt on one knee. He dropped his katana to the floor. He took her hand in his and kissed it, the proper respect to the Purebloods.

Zero made a sound of disgust at the back of his throat, and rolled his eyes. "Don't tell me that for the past four years, all you did was kiss her ass."

Ichiru snickered. He got up from his knee, and turned to look at Zero. There was a teasing gleam in his eyes, and a grin on his lips. "Oh, I did more than that, brother." His eyes lit up, and he started to walk towards Zero. A real genuine smile spread across his face, and as he got closer, Zero's head was filled with memories of a little Ichiru stumbling after him. A little Ichiru tugging at his sleeves, wanting to go back inside the house because the snow was too cold for him. A little Ichiru tailing him wherever he goes. A little Ichiru wrapping the other end of his red scarf around Zero so that they could both stay warm. A little Ichiru who lay limp on the floor, drowning in their parents' blood-

But Ichiru walked past him. Surprised, he looked over his shoulder, and he felt his heart blast out of his chest. Ichiru pulled Yuuki closer towards him, her face burning red as he whispered something in her ear. "Now, now, Yuuki-chan," he said louder, this time. "Would you like to continue where we left off?" He started leaning in, and Zero felt his feet move on its own accord. But before he could do anything, Ichiru stumbled to the floor, his cheek red despite his pale complexion. Yuuki had slapped him, and it took him a moment before he could comprehend what had really happened.

He didn't try to get up, instead he laid down on the floor, propping himself up with his elbows. He started to laugh. Like a maniac. His lunacy-filled laughs bounced around the room, echoing out into the dark sky. "Don't worry, Yuuki-chan," he said mockingly. "None of it was a lie. It was all the truth, and nothing but the truth." He paused. "If it really had been Zero who was with you yesterday... I doubt things would go differently." He looked up, into Zero's eyes. "Am I right, brother? Well, let me tell you... She's incredibly amazing. Tastes like... cherry."

This snapped Zero back to the reality of the situation. Before he could stop himself, he was on top of his twin, his fists connecting to his jaw. He heard bones cracking, both his and his brother's.

* * *

To Yuuki, it was all a blur. A flash of silver here and there, blood occasionally spurting everywhere as they tackled each other, rolling around the shards of broken glass. She moved to step between them, but what could she possibly do to break them apart?

This man, she realized, was the Zero she was with yesterday. And they weren't just brothers, they were twins. Completely identical. But despite looking the same, she felt so stupid for not knowing. The moment he opened his mouth, she should've known. The moment he said those words in such a gentle manner, she should've known. The moment he leaned in to kiss her, she should've known. He's not Zero.

There was a loud clang as Zero's gun skidded across the floor, away from him. She looked down at it, and realized that it had stopped right in front of her. She looked up to the brothers, and they were still at it. Their faces were exactly the same, twisted with rage. She's never seen Zero so angry before. _Why?_ Could it be that this is because of Ichiru had said? About the kiss? Yuuki felt heat rush to her cheeks.

_I doubt things would go differently._ What did that mean? If it had been Zero, would he have kissed her? If it had been Zero... _That's why!_ That's why he stopped. That's why he looked hurt when she had said she wanted him. She said Zero's name. She had said she wanted Zero...

A cold breeze snapped her out of reverie, and somehow when she looked up, her eyes darted to across the room. She saw Maria lying asleep on the divan. By her side, is... a woman. She felt a sense of familiarity, but she couldn't entirely be sure. The woman wore a kimono, elegantly wrapped around her. Her hair blew in the wind. She's got a blank expression on her face, and sadness in her eyes. She watched the two boys kill each other on the floor, drops of their blood staining the tiles.

_I know you, _Yuuki thought. _I've seen you before. _

As if sensing her stare, the woman looked into her eyes. There was a flash of something, and Yuuki felt an ache in her head. She knew this woman. She's seen her before. But where? There was power in her veins, that much Yuuki knew. She was a Pureblood. Is this... the woman who bit Zero? Is she the woman Zero wants to kill? Is she Shizuka Hiou? Then there was a series of unexplainable images, as if her whole life was flashing by her eyes. There were a jumble of voices, too mixed up for her discern what they were saying. It took her a moment to understand what it all meant.

Yuuki finally snapped out of it. She bent down and took the gun by her feet. It felt cold and heavy in her hands, and it was wet. There was blood on its barrel. She's never held a gun before, more or less fire one. But she held it out, pointed at the two boys. Her hands shook, and she didn't know what she was doing. Was she really going to shoot? But what if she hits Zero? But wouldn't he just heal? But what if he doesn't?

She took a step forward and breathed deeply. As she got closer, she could see the wounds on Zero's face start to heal, only to be marked fresh by new ones. His eyes were almost blank, as if he was seeing nothing. As if he was too lost in his own thoughts to be fully comprehending what's happening, what he's doing. If she doesn't do anything to stop this, she knows it will never end. She took a deep breath and big gulp of courage. She squeezed her eyes shut, and when she opened them, she was just a feet away from them. Her hand stopped to shake as she reached them. There was a click, and the next thing she knew, the barrel of the gun was flat against the side of Ichiru's head.

* * *

Zero stopped as he heard the click of a gun. And somehow, he felt so confused and disoriented. It was like he didn't know what he's been doing for the past few minutes. His hands were numb, and he heard his knuckles crunch as he tried open his fists. He looked down, and found his gun pointed at Ichiru's head. They both stopped, as well as the beating of their hearts.

He looked up, and found Yuuki was the one holding his gun. She crouched down next to them. There was determination in hey eyes, and a little hint of pleading. The next thing he knows, the gun was pointed at him. "Zero," she said, her voice hard and serious. She has never used such a tone before. "Get off of him." Zero knew she couldn't possibly pull the trigger. And if she does, he could easily get the gun out of her hand. She was inexperienced. But he's never seen this side of her before, and he wanted to see where it was going.

He did as Yuuki said, and when he was on his feet, she pointed the gun back at Ichiru. "I don't understand what's going on, and I don't know your purpose," she said. Her voice was now cold and quiet. _Who is this, all of a sudden? _he asked himself. "But if you hurt Zero-kun... I will kill you."

Ichiru let out a low chuckle. "Impressive, Yuuki-chan!" he said. "But you do know that this is an Anti-vampire weapon, right?"

"It doesn't matter," she said indifferently. "Just because you're not a vampire doesn't mean the bullet won't go through your skull." She finally stood up, her gaze unwavering, eyes locked on the bloody boy. "Remember that, Ichiru-kun."

* * *

Ichiru laid on his bed, his shirt unbuttoned. His face was numb from all the beating, and there were bruises on his torso as well. And some of glass shards went through his skin, digging into his flesh. He remembered the look on Zero's face. His brother had looked so angry, and yet, he saw something in his eyes. He took a deep breath, which hurt. Every breath he took sent a stabbing pain all over his body. The door of his room opened, sending in a cold breeze of wind. Shivers trailed down his spine.

"What did I tell you?" He opened his eyes, and found the Pureblood staring down at him. There was so much pain and sadness in her eyes, and also a little bit of disappointment. "We have a plan, Ichiru. It was all supposed to end_ tonight_."

"Forgive me, Shizuka-sama," he said. "I just wanted to see him. And besides, we all know how this will all turn out... so why don't you just let me have a little fun?"

"And by fun, you mean disobeying my orders?"

"Forgive me," he repeated.

Shizuka sat beside him, the gentle kindness coming back in her eyes. She held his head gently, guiding him so he could rest on her lap. The same way he did four years ago. He remembered the perfect scenery, a beautiful painting- the metallic scent of blood flooded around them, and she looked so beautiful as the moonlight touched her face, and the cherry blossoms rained all around them. And now, like that night, she has that same sad smile. "You know I don't like seeing you get hurt," she said softly.

_Forgive me._

She dipped her head down, and kissed him lightly on the cheek. The bruises started to disappear, the scars started to close, the aches started to diminish. "I love you, Ichiru," she whispered. "Always remember that. I love you, and your brother."


	14. Chapter 14

Yuuki couldn't remember how she ended up in her room in the Chairman's cottage, but there she was. She remembered walking with Zero out of the ballroom, and she remembered not saying anything. She remembered walking across the courtyard, back to her dorm, so what is she doing here? She looked down and found that she was still holding Zero's gun on her lap._ It's an Anti-Vampire weapon_, she thought. That's what Ichiru had said. It was the gun Zero always carried wherever he went. _The irony of a Vampire carrying an Anti-Vampire weapon_.

She didn't understand anything anymore. First, Zero was a vampire. It was a secret he's been hiding for a really long time, and somehow, that day, he just couldn't resist her. Next, she thought she had spent a whole day with Zero. She had thought they've fallen in love with each other. She had said that she wanted him, but... it wasn't him. It was Ichiru. And that's the third. Ichiru is Zero's twin brother. And for all he knew, Ichiru had died four years ago, along with their parents. But no. Here he was, acting like the loyal servant of, five, Shizuka Hiou. The woman who bit Zero. And six, the woman who gave her a puzzle to complete. When Shizuka looked into Yuuki's eyes, she gave her something. A series of images. Memories. Why? She's the enemy, so why would she give Yuuki her memories?

And seven, knowing her brother, she was a hundred percent sure this was all calculated on his chess board. He's known all along, and he hasn't said anything. He hadn't lied to her, not exactly. But he hasn't told him the truth, either. All these secrets, all these deceptions, all these complicated twists and turns of her dark and twisted fairytale of a life... she couldn't handle it.

Her head ached as she thought about all of it. And all she could do was look down at the gun in her hand. She raised it up, looking closely at the details. There was something written on it, elegantly in script. _Bloody Rose._ She thought about it, wondered what it meant. _Bloody Rose._ There was also a symbol. Something she doesn't recognize. It must be a Hunter thing, only the ones in the Association know about. Then, _CROSSING. _She figured it must be the manufacturer.

The sight of such a deadly weapon, the heavy weight of fatality in her hands, it all seemed so comforting. As ironic as that is. It reminded her of Zero. The silver-haired Hunter with the weight of the world dragging him down. Zero Kiryuu. She stood up, and she could only hope that Zero was in his room, not in the Boys' dorm. She padded out of her room, barefoot. She had changed into her uniform a while ago, after Zero came knocking in the girls' dorm, then she followed him to the ballroom.

She reached his door, and knocked. There was a series of noises such as shattering glass and clashing metals, until finally, he opened the door. He didn't wait to see who it was, just opened it and left it to swing. He plopped down to his bed, slouching. And when he looked up, he was almost surprised to see Yuuki. She thought he must've been waiting for the Chairman. She went in, then closed the door behind her. "I was just going to return this to you," she said, handing him the gun.

But he grabbed her by the wrist, and pulled her close, until his arm was around her. "Stupid little girl," he said quietly. His lips were just right next to her ear. "So stubborn, so careless..." His arm tightened around her, and she relaxed in them. He put his other hand on the top of her head, pulling her in even closer. "So stupid... So stubborn... Did anyone ever tell you how stupid you are?"

"Yes," she said, the smile evident in her voice. "A douche bag named Zero Kiryuu."

"He did? Do you want me to kick his ass for you?"

Yuuki giggled. "I think he just got his ass handed to him." She let her head fall, resting on the crook of his neck. She just realized how tired she really was. Her body felt heavy, as if gravity was working extra hard on her. She felt as though she could fall asleep like this, in his arms. But her mind was a busy place, always buzzing with faces and voices. "Zero..." she said, her voice barely a whisper. "Exactly what were you planning to do? Were you going to kill Shizuka?"

Zero's body went rigid as she mentioned her name. She also felt him cringe and his breath hitch. He made a noise in the back of throat as if he was in pain. It was the first time she realized he didn't have a shirt on. She suddenly felt conscious, her face flushed. She pulled away, and her eyes widened. His body was covered in lacerations. "Zero!" she jumped up to her feet in alarm. "Why aren't you healing?"

"His katana was made of Anti-Vampire metal," he said through gritted teeth. "I'm going to be okay, it'll heal. Don't worry."

"How long will it take?" she asked, getting down on her knees and looking closely at the bright red slits on his pale skin. She blindly reached out, her smooth fingers running over the open wounds. She retracted as Zero breathed in sharply. "Sorry..." she mumbled.

"I don't know." He held out his hand, grabbing her by the shoulder. It annoyed her when he does that, but somehow it also made her feel better, despite the circumstances. It gives her the sense everything was okay, back to normal. "Go to sleep, idiot." He pushed her gently, rocking her back a little. She frowned. She knew there was a faster way to heal, and she knew he knew it too. "Just get me the Chairman."

She looked down at her hands. "The last time I did that," she said quietly, "you let him cage you like an animal."

"I swear this time, I won't. I swear it's going to be okay."

"Your words... are nothing... but empty promises." She reached up, her hand touching her lips. She opened her mouth, and bit down. It hurt more than anything she's ever felt before. She had to bite down harder to get through the skin. Then harder to sink through the flesh. And then finally, the blood oozed out. The blood flowed uncontrollably down wrist.

"W-w-why?!" Zero said, his voice raspy. His breathing had gone ragged. He grabbed at his throat. "Get... out of here!"

She stood up, but instead of doing as he said, she stepped closer to him. She reached out, dangling her hand in front of his face. "Don't fight it," she whispered. His eyes have turned blood red. She knelt in front of him, but kept her hand up, moving it closer to his lips. It felt weird how willing she was. There was nothing about him that made her frightened of him. If anything, he looked more beautiful. More broken, but more beautiful.

Her hands finally touched his lips. He squeezed his lips shut tightly. "How long can you fight it?" she asked, pushing her hand even more. She basically started punching her way into his mouth, but he still wouldn't give. "Zero, stop being stupid. Stop being stubborn." She stood up, and held his head in her hands. She pulled his chin down, until mouth was open even for just a bit. He tried to fight it, still. But fighting just made it worse- he accidentally bit down, sending another wave of pain to Yuuki's hand. She felt her blood spurt out of her hand, and into his mouth.

He broke away from a moment, catching his breath. His tongue darted out, licking at the blood on her fingers. His tongue followed the trail of blood down to her wrist, then he bit in. His fangs digging into her skin. They felt like pinpricks on her skin, only these gave out a warm sensation. She felt her knees buckling, and she gave. But he caught her by the waist, then pulled her closer to him. He broke away from her wrist, and went for the side of her neck.

She wanted to know what it feels like to feed. What does blood taste like? What makes vampires so crazy about it?When she Turns, would she finally understand? When she Turns, what would happen to her? To Zero? Will she ever even Turn?

Before she could make up the answers, she felt herself start to drift away. Her senses were heightened, and she felt conscious of everything around her. She realized that she was already lying on her back, on Zero's bed. He was on top of her, his fangs deep in the other side of her neck. She felt his bites travelling down, until he was drinking blood from her chest. There was also an aching throb all over her arms, suggesting that he bit her there as well. _Zero, I'm glad... that you're not resisting._

* * *

Kaname's hand shook violently with anger, as he held the glass of water diluted with blood tablets. He could smell Yuuki's blood, so strong and so sweet, in the air. The whole of Moon Dorm were losing their sanity over the scent of her. His eyes narrowed, and the glass in his hand shattered. Some of the shards went into his skin, and the blood water came pouring down onto the carpet. "I told you to keep your hands off my sister, Kiryuu."

* * *

Yuuki had trouble opening her eyes as she woke. She felt incredibly weak, her body incredibly heavy. A bright orange light blinded her as she successfully opened her eyes. It took a moment before her vision adjusted, and she realized she was still in Zero's room. She couldn't feel anything, as if her whole body was devoid of all feeling. She lifted her hand just to see if it was still attached to her body. She saw dozens of pairs of incisions on her skin. And her skin was so pale that she could see her webbed blue veins. She looked down at her other hand, and saw the bite she made herself. It was deep, forming a bloody crescent by her thumb. She looked down at herself and found that she was no longer wearing her uniform, but her white nightgown. Despite everything, her face flushed as she thought about who put her into the dress. _Was it Zero?!_

As if called by her thoughts, the door swung open, and Zero came in. There was a towel draped over his shoulders, his hair still dripping wet. His shirt was unbuttoned, showing off his perfectly toned abs. Yuuki flushed even more, but before she could throw a pillow at him, he looked up and saw her. "You're awake," he said emotionlessly. Then his lips broke out into a relieved smile. A _smile_. A real one. "Here," he said, handing her a juice box.

She looked at it, then looked up at him. "I hate cranberries," she said.

"You lost a lot of blood, and cranberries help with blood," he said, which sounded more like an order. "Drink up!"

Yuuki took it then, with a pout. "You know, for someone who just drained me of blood, you're pretty ungrateful," she mumbled. Which was a big mistake. _Stupid Yuuki! That wasn't funny! _

As expected, he took it seriously. He looked away, embarrassed. He sat next to her, and slouched. He looked much like the way he looked when she found him there last night. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I didn't mean to-"

"What did I say about this?" she sat up, not bothering to let him finish. She knew damn well where this was going, with her trying in vain to tell him it's okay, and with him drenched in his own guilt and misery. She took the towel around his shoulders, and started to dry his hair off. "I told you. You might catch something." After drying his hair, she reached out and buttoned up his shirt. _This is normal. Things could stay the way they used to, despite everything. I won't let anything change._

"How can you act like nothing happened?" he asked. His voice quivered with anger. "I could've killed you! I heard your heart, Yuuki. It got to the point where it was barely beating, if I didn't stop-"

"But you did," she said. "You stopped, and I'm okay."

He opened his mouth to say something, but she cradled his head in her arms. She turned his head, so that his ear was flat against her chest. "You hear it, don't you? It's beating, right?"

Zero nodded. "But it's beating really fast."

"Well," Yuuki was so flustered. She was only glad that he couldn't see her. But was letting him hear her heartbeat better? "Beating fast is better than barely beating, right?"

Zero's eyes fluttered close, and sleep dawned upon him. He fell asleep like that, in her arms, with her chin rested lightly on his head. She almost forgot that he was deprived of sleep as well. She wondered if he even fell asleep at all. Or was he too worried about her? "Zero..." she whispered, knowing that he would barely hear her. "I will give you all my blood if I have to. I will take the weight off your shoulders..."


	15. Chapter 15

"Zero."

Zero turned around as he felt a tug at his sleeve. Looking at him felt like looking into a mirror. They looked exactly the same- they had the same silver hair of the same length, the same pale complexion and pink cheeks from the cold, they even wore the same coat. The only difference was that Zero was an inch taller. "What is it, Ichiru?" he asked.

Instead of answering, Ichiru took Zero's hand and touched it to his forehead. Zero flinched away as his hand burned in contact. He turned to his mother, urgently tugging at her long silky black hair. "Mom, Ichiru's having a fever again." Their mom looked at Zero, then Ichiru, and back again. Then she hurried towards Ichiru, putting her hand on his neck, then his forehead. There was a worried and grim expression on her face, then she went and ushered him back into the house.

"Zero." He turned and faced his father, who propped his shotgun onto his shoulder. Zero looked up to his dad. His father was the kind of man he wanted to be like when he grew up. He was strong and determined, he's smart and he thinks things through before acting. He's got great strategic skills, and he's got very high precision. And another thing Zero wanted to be when he grew up, he wanted to be a father. A husband. He wanted to love, and be loved in return. He wanted to exterminate vampires, and know that when he gets home, there's a wife and a few kids waiting for him. He wants to be with them and know that he will be able to protect them, and someday, he would teach his kids how to protect themselves. He wanted to be exactly like his father. "Yagari says you're one of the most promising pupils he ever had. He also says you could_ almost_ surpass him."

"He really said that?" Zero asked, his eyes beaming and his cheeks reddening from the compliment. He has tried his best in every training, and he knows exactly what he's capable of, but the feeling is different when the words come out of someone else's mouth.

"Yes, and I'm really proud of you, son." He walked closer, and placed his hand on Zero's shoulder. The kid looked up at him, and found sadness in his eyes. His dark eyes were filled with pride and determination, and yet there was a tinge of sadness and dread. "And whatever happens, I love you. I love you and your brother." He fell to his knees, and wrapped his arms around Zero just as the tears started to pour out of his eyes. "I've always taken pride in being called your father. I love you, Zero. I do. No matter what."

Zero was confused. He didn't know what was happening. He couldn't understand why his father was acting this way. "Always stick with Ichiru, okay?" he continued. He was practically sobbing at his point. "Protect him. Because in the end, you two are all you got."

Zero's eyes widened. He heard something break- a twig? That's what it sounded like. His father's sobs had diminished to nothing, leaving only the sound of the wind as it swished all around them, sending the strands of their hairs swaying. His father's hold on him loosened, but he took a few more minutes before breaking away. But when he pulled away, it was no longer him. Zero's father was gone, and the person before him now was Ichiru. But it wasn't the Ichiru he had just seen go into the house, it was an Ichiru with determination in his eyes and a katana in his hand. He was taller, much bigger and much stronger than his tiny child self.

Before he could even comprehend what was happening, he felt a sharp pain in his chest. A cry of agony ripped out from his throat. He looked down, eyes wide and frightened to see the hilt of the katana, with the whole of its blade through his chest. Blood dripped on its end, protruding from his back-

* * *

Zero bolted up. His heart beat fast and he was taking huge gulps of air, gasping. _Protect him,_ his father had said. _Because in the end, you two are all you got. _It was just a dream- no, a memory. A memory twisted into a nightmare. He looked around, suddenly frantic. But he felt himself calm once he saw Yuuki, lying fast asleep next to him. Her hair covered her face, and blindly, he reached out to tuck loose strands behind her ear.

The sun was high up in the sky, but it seemed like she didn't plan on waking up any time soon. So many things had happened last night, and school was the least of their worries. He laid back down on his side, so that he was looking at her. She looked so exhausted, yet peaceful. _Why do you stay? This is the second time I could've killed you, so why don't you run away? I don't get it._ He leaned in closer. She breathed evenly, deep in sleep. Her eyelids fluttered as she dreamed, and he wanted to know what she was dreaming about. _If I kill you, will you run from me then? Will you finally stop wasting your blood on me? _He leaned in closer, close enough that their noses touched.

_I thought he was you! _she had said that when she had told him about Ichiru kissing her. She thought it was him. If it really was him, would she really have let him? He was so close. Just an inch before their lips touched.

He frowned and stopped himself. _What does she see in you? _Kaname had asked him in the dungeon, and since then, he kept on asking himself the same thing. "What do you see in me?" he whispered.

* * *

It's dark, but somehow, his vision spun. Zero's head was pounding, and every inch of his body throbbed with an ache. He opened his mouth, but his mouth felt dry. For the first time ever, his tongue wasn't moist. His throat itched, and all he could do was gag as he coughed. His mouth felt sandy. He tried to walk, but with no sense of direction. The darkness's span was never-ending. For a moment, he thought it might've been a room, so he walked to his side, feeling for walls. But there were no walls. His head pounded even more. He was starting to sweat, and he felt incredibly thirsty, despite having just drunk from Yuuki.

_Yuuki_! The name sparked something inside him, sending a lightning bolt of pain through his skull. She was right beside him just a while ago. Where was she? Where is _he_? He heard a voice, but it wasn't hers. It was... there was a sudden beat in his chest. His hand went up, clutching his chest. He hadn't noticed the lack of beating until that one shattered his rib cage. _What the fuck is happening?!_ He winced as another beat came, slashing at his chest.

Finally, something tinted the darkness. Red vines seemed to be creeping into the sides of his vision. But as they started to pool around, he realized what it really was. It was thick and hot. _Blood_. "Zero." He looked up, it was the same voice from before. But this time, it was louder that he could actually hear what she was saying. She was calling his name, and he followed. He walked after the trail of whispers the voice left. He reached down to the inside of his coat, but surprisingly, Bloody Rose wasn't with him. "How could you kill me, Zero, if you don't even have a weapon?"

He kept walking, following the voice. But he didn't seem to be getting anywhere. The blood that surrounded his vision just swayed, and seemingly framed the darkness. "You're weak," she said again. "How could you possibly kill me if you're so weak?" He kept walking, stumbling in the dark. "How could you protect her if you're so weak?" There was a small beam of light up ahead, and he knew he was getting closer. He let out a breath of relief, but he didn't only ended up coughing so hard he actually fell to his knees. "Look at how weak you are..."

"Shut up," he choked the words out. "I will kill you, Shizuka. I will kill you. I will avenge my father. I will avenge my mother. I will kill you!" He looked up, and found that the blood had receded, and that he was looking up at cherry blossoms. There was a light behind the tree, casting a mystifying glow over it. He looked up and found her sitting on a low branch. She gracefully hopped down, and walked towards him.

Shizuka caught his chin between her thumb and her index finger, and she tilted his head so that she looked right into his eyes. "You killed your own mother, Zero," she said with a rich sadistic tone in her voice. "You killed her and you enjoyed it. You killed her and you didn't stop until her body was nothing. You killed her because that is your purpose. You killed her because it's what you've always wanted to do."

Zero didn't say anything. There was no point in denying what obviously wasn't true. He saw his own mother die, crumpling down to the ground as this woman ripped her heart out of her chest. He had watched helplessly and hopelessly. He couldn't do anything. He couldn't even cry over her. "You're such a beautiful boy." He was snapped out of his thoughts as the woman touched his cheek. Her hands were cold as she laid her palm against his skin. "You look exactly like him..."

_Him? _Oh. Right. Ichiru. There's a stab through his heart as another beat ripped through him. Shizuka almost had a sad look in her eyes, then he started to hear her voice. No, not Shizuka's. What she heard was oddly familiar, but it was streaked with something different. Panic. Fear. Desperation. "Zero!" Her voice cut through his skull like a knife. It was Yuuki. She sounded as if she was calling for help. He looked around, frantic.

But Shizuka yanked his face back towards her. "You will kill your mother," she said. "You will enjoy it. You have a purpose. Don't forget that."

"Zero!" Yuuki's voice called again. Her voice bounced off the walls of his skull, sending a jolt of pain through his whole body. The pain in his chest throbbed again. He was so confused his head hurt even more. "Zero!"

"What did you do to her?" he asked Shizuka, not taking his angry eyes off of hers. But instead of answering, she just leaned in closer to him. For a moment, he thought she was going to feed on him, but she didn't lower her head down to his neck. Instead, she planted a soft kiss on his forehead, where the creases in his frown met. Her lips were surprisingly light, and fluttered like a butterfly against his skin. Surprised by the gesture, the creases on his forehead smoothed out, leaving his face blank in shock.

"_Zero_!"

* * *

Zero's eyes flew wide open, and was immediately blinded by the searing white light. He sat up, coughing as he choked on the air that seemed to just suddenly fill in his lungs. "Zero!" Yuuki gasped. He looked up and found her sitting next to him, her legs folded underneath her. Her eyes were wide and tears streamed down her red cheeks.

"Are you okay?" he choked out. But instead of answering, she lunged forward, causing him to fall back on his back. The bed bounced at the movement. She clutched onto the material of his shirt, so tight that he could feel her nails digging into her skin. She sobbed, her whole body shaking on top of him as she did. He felt the front of his shirt drench with her tears. Confused and disoriented, he awkwardly placed his hand on her head, hugging her closer to him. "Ssshhh... Stop crying," he said in a soothing voice.

She was almost surprised at the sound of his voice- incredibly light and calm. It almost reminded her of Ichiru. But no, she knew this was Zero. She willed herself to stop crying, causing her chest to tighten. She felt like she was choking, and she had to get up to let the air fill her lungs. Like a kid, she wiped away at her tears with her sleeves. She looked down at him, lying motionlessly underneath her. And she went back down, her ear against his chest, just to check. She sighed, as she felt a steady heartbeat. As she came back up, she dragged him along with her, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Yuuki, what's wrong?" he said, breaking away from her for a moment. Pulling her away from him just enough for him to look at her. A new fresh set of tears were staining her cheeks again, and he couldn't keep himself from wiping them away. He cupped her cheeks in his hands, moving his fingers to wipe them away. Absent-mindedly, he leaned forward. Before he understood what he was even doing, he was already kissing her eyes. He could taste the salt in her tears, and the bitter pain in them. "Stop crying. Please." He planted one final kiss on her forehead.

"Y-y-you, Zero," she stuttered. Her voice was still thick from all the crying, and she looked as if she was going to cry again. "You were- you were _dead_. Z-z-zero, you weren't- you weren't breathing. You- your heart stopped beating."

"What do you mean?" Zero asked, confused. How could that be? He was just dreaming a while ago, how could he have stopped breathing?

"I mean, you stopped breathing and your heart stopped!" she said, louder this time. Her tears had ceased, as if she's already cried her eyes dry. "I mean, you _died_, Zero! You were _dead_! I had to do CPR- thank god I paid attention to that class- and you still didn't breathe, and it went on and on like that, and- and- it took five minutes before you woke up!"

"CPR, huh," Zero grinned. The tone of his voice darkened, just with a bit of humor. Trying to direct the conversation away from Yuuki's worries. "So, you took advantage of me while I was out?"

Yuuki blushed furiously, as she pounded her fists on his chest. "I _saved_ you! And besides, you're the one who took advantage of me, I remember perfectly well that I fell asleep in my uniform, and now... well..." she looked down at herself. She wore only her thin nightgown.

"Don't worry, I didn't see anything," he said quietly. There were was a seriousness in his voice now. She felt a warm sensation go through her chest, travelling up to her cheeks. _Sometimes Zero can be a total gentleman_, she thought. She looked up then, and found a devilish grin just starting to spread across his lips. "Not that there was _anything_ to see."

Yuuki frowned and continued to pound her fists on his chest. Suddenly feeling self-conscious, she realized how wrong this all must have looked. Her dress were just up her thighs as she straddled him, her legs hugging his waist. His arms were around her waist, keeping her in place. Her cheeks burned. They were close, so intimately close. Their faces inches away from each other, as close as it had been when Ichiru kissed her. She blushed even more as she thought about it. She gave one last punch to his arm, then moved to get off.

But as her foot touched the floor, she felt herself lose balance. Instinctively, she grabbed onto the thing she found most, which happened to be Zero's shirt. The next thing she knew, she was on the floor, with an ache on her back. Zero lay on top of her, his lips not even an inch away from hers. Before they could disentangle themselves, the door to the room opened.

It was the Chairman. And upon seeing them in such a promiscuous position, the man's face grew read and uneasy.

* * *

**You know what's crazy? I don't even know where I got the idea that Yuki was spelled with double u's! Same with Kiryu! All this time, I've been spelling it with double u's! I don't even know where I got that, seriously! **


	16. Chapter 16

Zero scrambled up to his feet and off of her. Yuuki stood up as well, folding her arms to cover her chest. From the corner of her eyes, she could see Zero snickering. He was about to open his mouth, and she immediately assumed that it was only to make a snide remark about her small breasts. She shot him a look, and slapped his arm. He ended up laughing even harder, and Yuuki's cheeks grew red and furious. Zero laughed so hard he toppled over to his bed. Seeing him like that, softened something inside her. Her cheeks stopped burning, and she couldn't help but smile. She watched him as he lay in bed, curled up with his arm over his stomach. He kept laughing like a lunatic, but Yuuki has never seen him so happy. His eyes were glassy and his cheeks were tinted pink.

Yuuki turned back to the Chairman as she heard him clear his throat. Sanity seemed to come back to Zero, as he sat up on the edge of his bed. He seemed to fish a jacket out of nowhere, and tossed it to Yuuki. She shrugged it on, buttoning it up. The sleeves were way too long, and the jacket itself hung just above her knee. But it felt comfortable and warm. And it smelled exactly like him. It made her feel as though he had his arms around her.

She wanted to slap herself as she thought about it. And as if summoned by her thoughts about another man, Kaname appeared next to the Chairman. He wore a stern expression, hard with anger and disappointment. He looked at Zero, who returned his hostility, then to Yuuki, standing helplessly in the middle of the room. But to her, it didn't feel like she was in the middle of the room, she felt like she was inbetween Kaname and Zero.

"Yuuki," Kaien said. Yuuki whipped her head back to him, almost forgetting he was there as well. "Your brother has been looking for you."

Yuuki nodded, blindly reaching her hand up to her chest as she followed both men outside. She looked over her shoulder and gave Zero a small smile as she closed the door behind her. No one spoke, and an uneasy atmosphere gathered over her head. The only thing she could hear was the echoing footsteps as they walked down the narrow hall, and her heart's nervous beats.

The Chairman led them to the kitchen, and Kaname helped himself to sit on the kitchen table. Yuuki sat nervously across from him, fidgeting with the sleeves of Zero's jacket. Somehow, the comfort of his presence in his jacket was wearing off. "Chairman," Kaname said, as the man set down a cup of tea for him. "This will do."

"Sure," the Chairman said, giving Yuuki a reassuring smile. But even he looked nervous. He walked out of the room, leaving Yuuki alone with her brother. She felt like she's been left in a lion's den. She looked down, uncomfortable. She didn't know when it happened, but it seems like she's grown apart from her brother. She used to be so close to him, always clinging onto him, always wanting to see him despite his face being the only face she saw every day and every night. She's always wanted him- his love, his affection, his attention, everything he has to offer. But now...

"I hope you're still not mad at me," Kaname said in a sad, apologetic voice.

Yuuki looked up, surprised by his words. Mad? Why would she be mad at him? Why would he think she's mad at him? "Kaname-sama, why would I be mad at you?" she asked.

Kaname's face softened, a hint of a smile appearing on his lips. "With all that you said to me after _he_ bit you. You left and I haven't seen you since. You've been avoiding me, so I assumed that..."

"Kaname-sama! I haven't been avoiding you!" she stood up from her seat so fast that the seat toppled over, falling with a loud bang. She came running towards him. She took his hand in hers, as she knelt in front of him. Tears stung in her eyes, though she didn't know why. She just felt so utterly sorry for him. She felt so guilty for having him think that. "I'm sorry if I haven't come to see you, there's just really been a lot going on! And I'm so sorry for what I said, I didn't mean them! I love you, Kaname-sama, please don't think I'm mad at you!"

"Yuuki..." There it was. This time an actual smile formed on his lips, lighting up his whole face, softening his expressions. He looked so beautiful when he smiled, and it made her happy. It brought warmth to her heart, and it broke her how familiar this feeling was. It was the same feeling she got whenever she saw the side of Zero that's not smeared with pain and tragedy. When he saw her just a while ago, laughing his ass off... Her thoughts were snatched away from Zero as she felt Kaname's hand on the side of her face. She leaned into his soft warm touch. "You don't know how happy that makes me. I really thought you hated me. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize, Kaname-sama," she said. She reached up, touching the side of his face as well. She tilted her head and slightly pulled him down towards her until her lips touched his. He kissed her back, with so much passion, so much longing, so much despair. His fingers moved their way into her hair. She could feel his tongue slip into her mouth, entwining with hers. She could taste the wine in his tongue, and she felt herself smile against his lips.

He leaned down, deepening the kiss. She could feel his warmth surrounding her, and for some reason she was reminded of... _No. No, Yuuki, don't. Don't do this to yourself. _She saw his luminous lilac orbs. She remembered how scared she had been to find him lying dead next to her. She remembered touching her mouth to his, blowing air into his lungs... She remembered the relief that filled her after he'd woken up. She remembered the way his arms were around her, how she was so close to him... _No! Stop! _

Desperate to get Zero out of her head and devote herself completely to Kaname, she stood up so that she could kiss him deeper. She placed both her hands on the side of his face, pulling him closer. She felt his hands on her hips. He guided her to sit on his lap, and she did, straddling him. But it only brought that moment with Zero back to her. She cringed at the thought, and felt Kaname break away.

She opened her eyes and found blood dripping from the corner of his lips. He only chuckled. "You bit me," he said, reaching up to wipe the blood away with his thumb. But there was nothing. Yuuki's bite has healed already. It was just one of those vampire miracles.

"I'm sorry," she said, gasping for air. Kaname let out another chuckle, as he leaned forward to kiss her lightly on the lips. Then he placed his hands on her hips, guiding her off his lap. "I just got carried away, I'm sor-"

"Don't apologize, Yuuki," he said. "And don't kiss me like you're just forcing it to mean something."

"It does mean something," she said quietly. She felt her knees start to buckle, and she gave in, falling back down onto the floor. "I do love you. It's just... I just... I'm so confused right now. So many things have been happening, and I feel like... I feel like I'm stuck in the middle of a tornado. I'm just..." she let out an exasperated sigh. "And it confuses me even more because I know you know all that's happening." She finally looked up, looking intently to his understanding eyes. "I know you've probably calculated everything in your chess board, and I bet you even knew what the next move will be."

"I do, but I wasn't expecting this..." He slid down from his seat to sit across from her. He looked like a little boy, sitting on the kitchen floor with his legs folded. "You're always so tense and angry when you're around me."

"How can I not be when I know damn well that you're keeping things from me?!" she knew she ought to be more careful. She knew she needed to stop demanding for answers in this kind of way. She was now aware that her words mean more to Kaname than she thought, therefore she should learn to choose the right words. But... how does she know which words are right?

"I know you're tired of hearing this," he said slowly. "For sixteen years, these words were the only things you hear, but... I'm doing this to protect you."

"Well, protecting me like this is just as good as letting a blind girl march into a battlefield." she paused as she crossed her arms over her chest. She had hoped to seem more serious, more regal, but it only made her look even more childish. "If something's going on then I want to know. It's better that I know what exactly you're protecting me from."

* * *

"What's he doing here?" Zero asked, eyeing Kaien as he came into the room to sit on an armchair across from him. "It's putting me off in a bad mood, it _reeks_ in here."

"Calm down, Zero, he just wants to see Yuuki," Kaien said calmly. "Or have you forgotten that they're related?"

"Tch, whatever. I really don't care." Zero let himself collapse onto his back, the bed bouncing and shrieking at his weight. He closed his eyes and took deep breaths to calm him down. He was getting really ticked off. He didn't know whether it was because that Pureblood's aura is all over the place, or if it's because Yuuki is alone with him... _Tch, why would I care? _

"If he wants to take her, then let him. I couldn't give a f-"

"You couldn't possibly mean that," the Chairman said seriously. "I haven't seen you like this in all those four years, Kiryuu-kun. I've never seen you smile, much more laugh, it's amazing. It's amazing how much she's changed you. You're so much more..."

"I'm just paying a debt," he said bluntly. He turned to lie on his side, facing away from the man who took him in four years ago. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out the meaning in everything Kaien said. But it only made things worse. There was no darkness when he closed his eyes, just her face. Her face, his eyes, the curve of her lips, all imprinted on the back of his eyelids. "She's been giving me blood. I owe her. That's all."

Kaien just smiled sadly, almost glad that Zero had his back to him. Kaien knew exactly how Zero must be feeling. Trying to fight the overwhelming emotions, trying to act normal, but knowing that he's in love with a girl he shouldn't be in love with. But instead of prying even more, he decided to be serious. "Speaking of blood..." the man mused. "We found Maria Kurenai lying unconscious in the ballroom. Do you happen to know anything about that?"

"Well, do you happen to know that she's only been hosting Shizuka Hiou?" Zero countered. He felt his heart skip a beat as the Chairman didn't answer. He bolted up, turning to face the man who suddenly looked uncomfortable in his seat. "You knew?! All this time, you let her in?!"

"Zero, there are things you need to understand," Kaien said calmly.

"Why didn't you at least tell me?!" Zero raised his voice. His whole body was tensed, and blue veins corded his neck. His fists shook with anger. "My main purpose in this shithole is to protect the humans. Do you understand how big a threat that woman is?!"

"Zero!" Kaien stood up from his seat. All softness had gone from his face, and he was back to being the Hunter he used to be. A man who didn't tolerate such behavior Zero is showing at the moment. "You don't understand anything! And you wouldn't understand anything unless you open up your mind!" He walked closer to the boy, and jabbed a finger at his chest. Strong enough that the younger boy fell to sit on his bed. "There's a reason she's here, you hear me? She has a message for all of us. And for you."

"Will you at least tell me?" Zero said through gritted teeth. He looked up, returning the man's furious gaze. "Or are you planning to keep me in the dark until it's too late?"

"It's never too late." The softness in his voice finally returned. It was almost scary how fast his moods change. "But it's incredibly too early."

* * *

**_To be honest, I don't even know what I'm doing anymore. So I apologize for the kinda irrelevant and poorly written events headed your way. I'm slowly losing interest in this story, but don't worry, I won't just abandon it because that would be too cruel. I swear I'm working my ass off to improve the plot and I will try to make sense of every single rubbish I put out there. In the meantime, please be patient with me. Thank you so much for all your support! Reviews will be much appreciated!_**


	17. Chapter 17

Yuuki sat in class, but all she could think about was her discussion with Kaname from yesterday. It had all been too much, too confusing. Too impossible to comprehend in just one moment. And it was too heavy in her chest. Every time she thought about it, she just felt like exploding. She wanted to tell someone who still doesn't know. She wanted to confide in someone, just let it all out. And when she yearns about being comforted, all she could think about was Zero. She wanted so bad to tell him, but he was the one person she couldn't tell. This time, it wasn't her, it was him they were protecting. It was him they were hiding things from. It was him they were keeping in the dark.

It somehow gave Yuuki a sense of power. Somehow, she had the upperhand. She knew something not a lot of people know. And most importantly, Kaname had trusted her enough to let her in on something so big. But still, the thrill of the fact couldn't outweigh the guilt in her chest every time he saw Zero. Something has changed in him too. He's grown more irritable and suspicious, and it only made her feel even more guilty. It was like he thought everyone was hiding something from him. He was always in his room, and she couldn't even get in anymore. The door was always locked.

It broke her heart as she thought more and more about the information she acquired. When this all ends, she knew nothing would ever be the same again. She knew she wouldn't have the old Zero, and maybe that was a good thing? Maybe the Zero she wants to protect so badly, the Zero she can't get out of her head, the Zero she's so worried about, would just go away. And wouldn't that be easier? So she could just go back to Kaname? With loyalty and love.

She sighed. It's all too complicated. Why can't life just be simple? _If I have a whole different world on my shoulders, then how could I possibly help Zero with his? _

She walked through the halls in a daze, not even bothering to call out the couples just making out in almost every corner- which she would have given detention slips on a normal day. The changeover was also easy. A bit too easy. Too easy to get her mind off of everything. Warding the Moon Dorms against the love of their faithful and loyal fangirls are nothing compared to the ordeal with Shizuka and Zero. She didn't even bother returning Kaname's soft smile as he passed her.

Everything went by in a flash. The hours turned into split seconds, and all the while her head kept running over the same words, same questions, same scenarios. And before she realized it, she was alone, her whole body submerged in a tub of warm water and a sea of bubbles. Somehow, the sight of the bubbles eased her mind for a while. They almost looked like snow, only they didn't freeze her whole body to the point of going so numb that her limbs were going to fall off.

She lowered herself even more, her chin bearded by the bubbles and the tips of her toes poking out into the surface. A shiver ran down her spine as she felt the cold air against her toes, and she lowered them back down. She let out a sigh, as she slowly closed her eyes, suddenly feeling so tired. She had no idea exactly how tiring it was to think.

When she closed her eyes and let her mind wander, she expected to see Shizuka and the fragments of memories she gave her. But instead, she saw something more horrific. She willed herself to open her eyes, but she couldn't seem to break away. She saw the man from that night. She saw her mother. She saw her father. She saw Kaname. She saw other vampires, and a sea of blood. She could see hearts torn out of chests and left lying on the linoleum floors. She saw roses, slowly fading into black, as if they were turning into ashes. She saw a coffin. She suddenly remembered how it felt when Kaname had closed it. And suddenly she actually felt as if she was confined in such a small tight space. It was suddenly too hard to breathe, she felt suffocated. Her vision faded into nothing but darkness, and an invisible force held her down. Her lungs burned as she fought for her life. She couldn't move, as if her whole body is paralyzed. Then something crept into the darkness- a pair of red hungry eyes, filled with bloodlust.

"Yuuki?" A voice snapped her out of it. Her eyes snapped open, and she realized that she had been all the way to the bottom of the tub. She bolted up, hugging her knees to her chest. Water slushed out of the tub. Her hair was pasted onto her cheeks, and her breathing was ragged. She gulped in deep breaths of air, as she pushed all memories of that night out of her head. "Yuuki, are you okay?"

"Zero." His name came out as a sob, which she hadn't even expected. She realized then that her eyes stung not only with the bath soap, but also tears.

"Are you okay?" he asked again, this time the worry in his voice more evident.

She saw the door knob twist, and cried out, "No! I'm in the tub!"

"Then, cover yourself!"

Before she could argue, the door flew open, sending in a rush of cold breeze that sent her shivering. There was nothing she could do but press her knees closer to her chest, to keep herself from both the cold and Zero. "What are you doing-" He reached out and drained the tub of water, and before it could go down further, he wrapped a robe over Yuuki's shoulders.

She looked up shyly and found that his eyes were wide and frantic with fear. He crouched down next to the tub, his hands on her shoulders with his fingers digging into the material of her robe. "Are you okay? Are you hurt? What happened?"

"Why are you so... Why, what do you think happened?" she asked. She felt so confused. Sure, something did happen, but how would Zero know?

He lowered his face, staring into her eyes. "You were screaming, you were... you were calling for me."

"Calling for you? How could I possibly- I was underwater, how would I-"

"Yuuki," Zero said, his voice calm and steady. But no matter how hard he tried, she could see a piece of his shield breaking as his worries overcame his usually stoic demeanor. "Yuuki, listen to me." She realized then that her whole body is trembling. She didn't understand what was going on. It was only a memory, so why is it taking its toll on her like this? And of all people, why would she call for him? Why wouldn't she call for Kaname? Why?

She saw his lips moving, forming words that couldn't get to her. She couldn't stop herself from trembling, as if there was a natural calamity inside of her, with her bones quaking and eroding everything within her. She saw him let out a breath, as if he was already giving up on her. He stood up, and took her by the hands, and she stood up with him. Gently, he reached around her, and tied up the robe's belt securely around her. The robe was already soaked, and clung tightly to her body. Every part of her body felt numb. Her teeth hurt from the chattering. She felt like she was falling apart, and she didn't even have any reason to.

"He's coming," she gasped, and she felt her whole body give in. She slumped forward, and Zero caught her in his arms. "He's coming to get me. The game is starting, and he's coming to get me!"

"Who's coming?" he said, holding onto her.

"He's coming to get me. Kaname's going to take me back to the mansion- I- I don't want to- but... he's coming to get me! Zero, he's going to kill me!" she started to flail in his arms, struggling against him. "Leave me alone! Don't touch me! Get away from me!"

"Yuuki... Yuuki, it's okay," he said, in a soothing voice. He ran his fingers through her wet hair, but she wouldn't stop screaming and pushing at him. He let go of her for a moment, only to grab her by the shoulders. "Yuuki!" he shouted over her screams, as he shook her. "Yuuki, _get a grip_!"

Finally, she stopped. She gave a little gasp as if she's only realized what was happening. Her eyes widened, and she only stared at him blankly. Her breathing was heavy, and she started to whimper. She slumped forward, resting her forehead on his shoulder. Her body felt incredibly heavy and she felt like she couldn't support her own weight. She had to wrap her arms around Zero's neck to stay erect, but she didn't have to.

He took carried her in his arms, out the door, and towards her room. "Now, can you tell me what happened?" he asked, as he set her on the bed. He covered her up with her blanket, as she wouldn't stop trembling. "But take your robe off first, it's soaked. You might catch something."

She pulled the blanket over her head, and she started to move to take it off of her. When she resurfaced, Zero was holding out a shirt of his. Without complain, she shrugged it on. She knew she didn't have any clothes in this room, for all of them were in her dorm room. "I-it was just... a dream," she explained.

He sat down next to her, looking down with kind worried eyes. And somehow, a grin. "It sounded more like a nightmare to me." He paused, then his grin vanished, and so did the soft kindness in his eyes. "Who's going to take you?"

"The man... from 10 years ago," her voice sounded weak and frail. She felt so small, a little girl cowering behind her protector. And she hated it. All day, she's been feeling like she was the one protecting Zero, by hiding the truth from him. All day, she's felt like she has the upperhand. And now she was back to this. She was weak again. A damsel in distress. The one who needs protecting. She doesn't want to be like that. She wants to be strong. But how can she? She's small, she's human, she's powerless... "The man who killed mom and dad. The man who wanted my blood." she paused. His name was at the tip of her tongue, and it gave her a bad taste as his name echoed inside her. She hated him. It's because of him that she's in hiding. "Rido... Kuran..."

"But... he's..."

"Dead." Yuuki's lips turned up into a bitter smile. "That's what everyone thinks." She felt something take over her. She stopped trembling. She felt her nerves calm. "Zero," she said, reaching out to put her hand on his. She saw a flash of pink tint his cheeks, but she didn't care. "Let me do it. Please let me be the one to _kill_ him."

* * *

"Doesn't it hurt you?" Ichijou asked, leaning against the banister of the balcony. One wrong move and he could fall over. But he didn't have anything to worry about, he's a vampire. It takes way more than a couple of feet fall to kill him. He turned to look at Kaname, who lay motionless on the velvet divan. He had his arm over his eyes. "Knowing that it's Kiryuu-kun with her, and not you?"

"She's mine, she's always been mine," Kaname said. His voice was stone cold and hard. He's angry.

"Hm, it's not like you have a big problem anyway," he touched his hand to his chin as he mused, "even if she falls in love with Kiryuu-kun, he'll be dead in a couple of months... is that why you're not worried, Kaname-sama? And if he does die, given that she's grown so close to him... would you be able to console her? Isn't that another problem?"

Kaname finally sat up, giving the blonde a deadly glared. "Ichijou, if you weren't such a close friend of mine, a trusted confidant, I would've killed you the moment you opened your mouth."

Ichijou raised his hand, waving Kaname's words away. He chuckled nervously, "Well, you know, I was just kidding- oh, did you just compliment me? Well, thank you, I guess I should go now, bye-" he dashed into the room, leaving Kaname on his lonesome.

Alone with no one to talk to, Kaname stood up and walked over to the banister, gripping it so hard his fingers digging through the marble, leaving a nasty crack. He could sense something wrong with Yuuki, and he wants to be the one to be there with her. He wants to hold her in his arms until she calms down, he wants to be the one reassuring her that everything will be okay. He wants to be the one for her, but...

A slash through the wind captured his attention, and as he turned around, he found Seiren landing gracefully onto her feet. She gave a small curtsy, and held out an envelope. "A letter for you, Kaname-sama. From Shizuka-sama."

* * *

Kaien rummaged through his drawers, looking for a letter opener, but they all seemed to be missing. He stood up and went over to the bookshelf, knowing he had placed a special one over there. He took out his favorite novel, and took out a letter opener from in between its pages. It was a special one- as special as a letter opener can be, at least. A symbol was carved onto its handle. A rose. The very symbol of the Academy. It had been a gift from a friend- perhaps, that was all they were, but what he felt for her was much more immense than that.

He shooed away his emotions, knowing there was no benefit in reminiscing about the past, what could've been and what never was. Besides, there was nothing he could do now. She was dead.

He opened the letter, and found that it was from Shizuka.

It was an invitation. For a ball. In the Academy.


	18. Chapter 18

Yuuki lay awake in her bed, afraid to close his eyes and float into slumber. She was afraid the she might see him again, his greedy eyes and his devilish grin and his big hands reaching out for her. She wondered what led him to be this way, so hungry for power that he was willing to annihilate the few remaining Purebloods. Starting with her.

She didn't even know what was so special with her, why he wanted _her_ so much. Is it because, along with the power in her veins, she was also easy? Easier than Kaname. Easier than any of the others. Or is it because she looked like her mother? The woman he loved so much. Maybe he knows... that there is still an essence of Juuri within her. The thought frightened her. It scared her to death that maybe he wanted her more than just her blood. _No_, she thought, _even so, Kaname won't let him have me. Kaname will protect me._ And she wanted to slap herself for even thinking it. There she was again, cowering behind her brother. Helpless. Oh, so powerless. Pathetic. Weak.

She was snapped out of reverie by a guttural scream, ripping through the silence of the night. Then she heard thunder, but figured it must've been the Chairman bolting into his room. She could just imagine Zero, screaming in his sleep, as he clung tightly onto the sheets. She was suffering the same thing he was. She had Rido, while he had Shizuka. _Such a coincidence,_ she smiled without humor, _they were both lovers once._

Once, but no longer. They have turned against each other for power. Or perhaps, they were never really in love, just in love with the thought of love. Such a cruel thing. Such a cruel world. Where lust can so easily deceive you into thinking that it is actually love. She realized then that that must be what this really was. What she has for Zero...

Her bed shook ever so slightly as a weight moved in next to her. Slipping into the sheets was a boy with sad eyes and heavily ruffled hair. "You should be in class," she whispered. There was an itch in her throat as she did, and her mouth felt dry. She didn't move closer to him, or even look at him. She couldn't. Because every time she looked at him, all she could see was Zero. And it made her feel so awful.

They both laid on their backs, looking up at the ceiling as if mesmerized by imaginary stars. "I'm too tired for class," he said.

"Then go back to your dorm and rest."

"Don't you want me here, Yuuki?" She could hear the smile in his voice.

"Kaname-sama..." she said slowly. "Zero... promised me he'd teach me to fight."

"Fight?" Now there was worry in his voice. He shifted onto his side, so that he was looking at her. She didn't return his loving gaze. "But I don't want you to get your hands dirty."

"Tell me, in your chessboard, who kills the King?" she asked, imagining the pieces in her head.

"The King kills the other," he said in a low voice.

"Who am I?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"You'll have to figure out for yourself," he teased.

"I think I already have."

"Go to sleep, Yuuki."

"I can't," she said, shaking her head. "If I do, I'll see him again. And I don't want to see him."

"It's okay." She felt him inch closer, then he wrapped an arm around her, scooping her closer to him. She didn't realize how cold she had been until she felt his warmth. "I'll protect you."

* * *

She's always just been there. In the distance, concealing herself behind a tree. But no matter how hard she tried to hide, he always sensed her. There was something about her that just gave her away. Her presence. Her presence demanded all attention. She was that powerful. And he didn't know why she was so drawn to him. He's only one out of thousands she had turned into Level E vampires, but why was she so interested in him?

"Zero?"

He looked over his shoulder and found Ichiru, hugging a stuffed bear to his chest. His cheeks were still flushed with the fever. "Go back inside, Ichiru," he said gently. He walked over to his brother, and placed his hand on his back. "It's too cold out here."

"She's here again, isn't she?" Ichiru asked.

The question struck Zero. "Wait- you've seen her around before?"

"Yeah, she's my friend, you see."

The statement struck a match inside him, creating big flames of fury. They were both damn well aware of that they are the Cursed Twins. It was part of being a Hunter- the survival of the fittest starts from within the mother's womb. It was very fortunate that Ichiru even managed to survive. But he's been so weak ever since he was born, and everything he lacked, Zero had. Zero was aware that he was smarter, stronger, better than his brother in any way. But he had no idea he was this stupid, too naïve. "She's not your friend!" Zero shouted in Ichiru's face, whose face has turned ashen with fear. "Open your eyes, Ichiru! Think! You'll get yourself killed!"

Ichiru's face contorted in pain, as if he was about to cry. But instead of doing so, he pushed Zero away from him with all his might. Zero stumbled backward, and thank god for a tree root protruding from the ground, and fell on his back. Ichiru ran away from him, and into the woods, towards the woman. "Ichiru!" he cried after him, as he stood up to run after his brother. But as he ran, he felt something curl around his ankle. He looked down, and found a vine holding him in place. Before he fell face first to the ground, another grabbed him by the neck.

The next thing he knows, he was held in place by the vines, curled tightly around every limb- his arms to his wrists, his ankles to his knees, his hips to his chest, his neck... Every part of him. And as he looked up, he found Ichiru standing next to the woman, no longer hiding behind a tree. And his parents knelt in front of her, as if two patrons praying to their god.

"Mom! Dad!" Zero cried out. But as he did, the vines around his neck seemed to grow tighter.

They didn't budge. They didn't even look over their shoulders to look at him. _This is a dream!_ he somehow heard his own voice in his head. _This is a dream! Wake up, Zero, wake up! _He watched as the woman picked up his mother by the neck, and bit into it. His mother let out a scream, and Shizuka whipped her head back, slashing her fangs across the Hunter's throat. Zero's mother's blood sprayed onto the Pureblood's face, and she grinned triumphantly. Ichiru didn't show any kind of emotion. If anything, his eyes seemed to be enjoying the whole show.

Zero screamed, and he felt the vine tighten so hard around his neck, crushing his wind pipe. His throat hurt, and every inch of his body throbbed. He couldn't breathe. There's not enough air for him to scream, and then-

* * *

Zero woke up screaming, bolting upright, sweat dripping from his every pore. His hand immediately reached up to his neck, and his hand came away stained with crimson red. He must've been clawing at his neck again.

The door bolted open, as the Chairman came in, frantic. "Zero..." he sighed thoughtfully. Zero could only imagine what was going on in the man's head. It was exactly like four years ago. With him waking up screaming in the dead of night, bloody from clawing at the spot in his neck that Shizuka had bitten, then Kaien rushing in to calm him with a glass filled with diluted blood tablets. And then he moved out. Moved to the apartment for Hunter in the Association. The nightmares hadn't stopped then, but there was no one who came running to him. No one was worried over him. No one was losing sleep over him. And that had been a relief. The last thing he wanted was to be somebody's burden. Then he was called back to his adoptive father's side, here in the Academy. He had met Yuuki. Somehow, the nightmares had stopped coming.

And then Shizuka Hiou came back and now-

"I... need... to... find her," he said through ragged breaths. His chest rose and fell heavily. "I'm going... I'm going to... kill her... _Now_."

"Let's talk," Kaien said.

"I don't want to-" Zero started, but Kaien cut him off.

"Let's talk."

* * *

They all ended up sitting around the kitchen table in the middle of the night. Kaname had left before Kaien could even knock on the door and summon her for a 'meeting'. She sat across from Zero, whose shirt is stained with so much blood. She had asked him about it, but he seemed too lost in his thoughts to respond. And the Chairman went out of the room to get something in his Office for a moment.

"Was it a nightmare?" she tried again. She still got no response. He was looking down at his hands, which shook ever so slightly. From where she sat, just next to him, she could see genuine fear in his eyes. It was such a rare sight, and it frightened her, awakening her to the reality of the situation. This isn't a simple board game. This isn't simple chess, and sometimes the opposing side wins. Images of the crushed pawns flashed by in her mind, and she cringed. _How many? _she thought. _How many had died? How long have they been fighting this battle? _This battle was soon to be theirs, and she still has no idea how to fight through it.

She reached out, and gently placed her hand on top of Zero's. But he flinched away from her touch. As if recognizing her presence for the first time, he finally looked up and looked at her. "Yuuki..." he gasped.

"Are you okay?" she asked. "All that blood, yours?"

"It was just a nightmare," he said.

"Here it is!" the Chairman came in and plopped down onto a chair across from them, waving a little envelope in his hands. "It's an invitation. To a Ball!" he spoke giddily, like a child about to be taken to an amusement park.

Which only seemed to irritate Zero, given the circumstances he was in and his desire to get this done and over with. He wanted to feel his finger hovering over the trigger. He wanted to see blood soak the front of Shizuka's kimono. He wanted to see her fall to the floor, her body limp and dissolving into ashes. He wanted to avenge his parents. "We don't have time for a fu-" he said, anger boiling in his voice so that it sounded like he was growling. But the Chairman cut him off.

"This is your ticket," he said, looking at Zero with narrowed eyes. "You see, the whole school seem to already know about this Ball. Except for us. This is an invitation from Shizuka Hiou. This is where it all ends. This is where you kill her."

"And the students? Wouldn't they be there, too?" Zero asked.

"Now, I don't know," the Chairman said slowly. "Shizuka has something planned, and I don't know what it is." _Lies_, Yuuki thought. "I don't know what her motives are, and how she's going to carry them out-" _More lies. _"But as a Hunter and a Guardian of this school, you two must be there to stop her."

"Us two?" Zero's chair almost flew as he stood up. "But Yuuki is inexperienced, and she might just get hurt!"

The Chairman looked pointedly at Yuuki, as if to say, _You know what to do._ She nodded, and looked up at Zero. "Zero, you need to trust me. We've partners for months, and you see how great I am! Not once did I serve prey to vampires, yeah!" She tried to sound cheerful and casual, because se knows that's what everyone expects from her, but...

"Haven't served prey to vampires?" he repeated. His voice shook violently as he tried to keep himself calm, but he was failing incredibly. "Yuuki, how many times exactly have I almost drained you?! What I did to you, Shizuka could damage you ten times worse!"

"I get that you're worried about me, and I really appreciate that," Yuuki stood up, but even so, Zero still towered over her, "but please stop treating me like a weak child! I can take care of myself!"

"And what do you have? You're not even equipped with anything- you don't know how to shoot guns, or fly arrows- _goddammit_, you don't even know hand-to-hand combat!" Veins corded his neck as he finally lost his cool.

"I have something for Yuuki," the Chairman interjected. The two whipped their head to look at him. "Yuuki, would you mind following me to the library?" Yuuki nodded. "Zero, go back to your room."

To both their surprise, Zero obliged without protest. Yuuki thought he must be really exhausted. But a loud bang echoed through the whole cottage as he slammed his door shut.

* * *

"I'm so sorry for getting you all tangled up in this mess, Yuuki," the Chairman said shyly, as he opened the door to the library. He gestured for Yuuki to come in, and she cautiously stepped into the room. The room was big, almost twice the size of her own. Books, books everywhere. The room was filled with rows and columns of bookshelves- this is a maze of books. It left Yuuki in awe.

"It's okay," she almost gasped breathlessly. "It's... I... I've been tangled up in all this the moment I was formed in my mother's womb. It's you-" she looked over her shoulders and up at him. "that we should all be apologizing for. My mother could have gone to any other Hunter, but she chose _you_ to bear all this burden. I apologize."

"I don't see it as a burden, really," he said with a soft smile. "Juuri changed my life. She saved me. Made me... want to be a better person. And more than that, she brought you into my life, Yuuki. All my life all I've seen was darkness, and here you are, a ray of sunlight. _Just like your mother_."

It made Yuuki sad to hear him talk like this. There was pain in his eyes and sadness in his smile, and she wished didn't notice but she couldn't help but wonder if this man loved her mother. If he had ever gathered up the courage to confess it to her. Or if it the opportunity had been snatched away by her father, and her uncle's massacre. _This man_... she thought, _is a sad man._

Kaien cleared his throat. "Follow me." He walked towards the back of the room, and she followed at his heels. She looked up with wide eyes and moans of joy as she saw big volumes of encyclopedias and first edition collections of the Classics. This was such paradise. There was a time when she'd loved books more than anything, but then she got sick of them. She yearned for the real world, and now here she was, running back to the comfort in the pages.

They reached the end of the room, and Yuuki stopped almost too abruptly. Before her was a display of weapons. Different kinds of katanas and swords lined the walls, there were axes and machetes, maces and hammers, spears, bows and arrows, crossbows, and guns ranging from small pistols to rifles and machineguns. Next to all these were little plaques with their names. She suddenly remembered the name of Zero's gun. _Bloody Rose._

"They're all Anti-Vampire weapons," the Chairman explained. "Zero had a point about you and your lack of fighting abilities. I don't know how you are with shooting guns and arrows, and I'm pretty sure you're no good with hand-to-hand combat- no offense, dear. So..."

Yuuki stepped forward, closer to the Chairman, who rummaged around in a little drawer. He took out a little metal rod, just about fourteen inches long. She had no idea how that could probably protect her from a vicious Pureblood and her skilled sidekick. "Yuuki, meet Artemis." He held out the weapon, and she took it in her arms. "Flick your wrist a little."

She did as the man instructed, and somehow, the rod grew longer. It was almost like pole, standing way past her height as she touched it to the ground. There were little intricate patterns carved into each end. "Artemis is one of the very first weapons molded from the Mother," he explained. He looked at the weapon with such soft eyes he might as well just be looking at a newly born baby. "It releases high voltage electricity when it comes in contact with a Vampire. I entrust Artemis with you because I only want to protect you, not turn you into a killer."

Yuuki nodded in understanding. "Thank you, Chairman," she said with a soft smile.

"You should know that a Hunter and his weapon are one. Bloody Rose is now a part of Zero, and now Artemis will be a part of you. But the weapon also chooses its master."

"Eh? But how do I know if it likes me?" Yuuki asked, eyeing the rod in her hand.

Kaien let out a soft chuckle. "Well, it did extend as you willed it to, didn't it? And besides, I always had a feeling Artemis would be fond of you." He turned his back on her, as he went back to look at the weapons on the wall, admiring them. "He used to be your mother's."

_My mother's?_ she thought, surprised. _But this is an Anti-Vampire weapon! _"But-"

"You should go rest, Yuuki," the Chairman said before she could finish. His voice was sad and strained. Yuuki felt a pang in her chest. "I think we're done here."

Yuuki turned to leave, leaving the Chairman on his own. She felt sorry for the man. Could it be that he still loves her mother? She wondered if her mother knew. She wondered if she entertained his feelings for her, or just completely ignored them.

"Chairman?" she stopped in her steps and looked over her shoulder. Kaien's shoulders were shaking, but he stopped as she called him. She was about to ask him about him and her mother, but then she realized how much that would hurt him. So instead, "Can I have a day off tomorrow? I'd like to shop for a dress for the Ball."


	19. Chapter 19

The Chairman let Yuuki have the day off to go into town and shop for a dress. Of course, she couldn't go on her own since she still doesn't the place too well, so he had to let Zero off too. Yuuki was overcome with a sense of deja vu as she sat in the passenger seat of the car. It was exactly like the time with Ichiru. _I doubt things would go differently. _She wondered if it would happen again. Would Zero tried to kiss her? And if he did, would she stop him? She pushed the thought out of her head.

Neither of them spoke, so it was just his extremely loud punk music blaring in her ears. The bands were pretty good- amazing, even. But it surprised her, because she never really saw Zero as the one who actually values music. She turned to look at him- with that stoic expression on his face, the piercing in his ear, and that tattoo on the side of his neck. Other than that, he's always had a knack for trouble, an angsty attitude, full of loathing and hatred and anger for the world... _He does look like a punk rock kind of guy_.

"What are you looking at?" he said, sounding even more annoyed than usual. "Quit staring, it's annoying."

Her cheeks flushed and she immediately looked away, diverting her eyes toward the road before them. "N-nothing! Sorry." He let out a breath, and it somehow reminded her of an angry bull. "I'm really so sorry for troubling you to come with me today. I told the Chairman Kaname-sama could take me but-"

"It's okay," he said quietly, his voice barely audible over the guitar riffs in the track playing. "Just shut up until we get there."

Yuuki suddenly felt so small, and it felt as though she was still continuing to shrink into her seat. She sighed, as she rested her head against the window, letting herself get lost into the poetic lyrics of the song and it's not-so-gentle melody. Somehow, she felt the words wrap around her like a comfortable blankets, and the more she listened, the more she realized the power in them. She felt like it was a song written exactly for her. It felt so enlightening. It was like hearing the words you can't say coming from someone else's mouth. And it somehow made her feel good, knowing that she wasn't the only one feeling such emotions. That this singer, whoever he may be, has gone through hard things too.

_But I bet you've never been in the middle of a war between power-hungry vampires, huh_. She closed her eyes, and let herself drown in a sea of music.

* * *

Yuuki woke up to the cold sting of wind, and the barely audible laughter from somewhere far away. But despite the cold, she felt something incredibly warm surrounding her and touching her face. She opened her eyes, and found stars twinkling above her. As her eyes adjusted, she realized the sun was still up and it weren't the stars. It was streams of light pouring in through small openings from the clusters of leaves of the tree above.

She looked down, and found a jacket covering her. It was Zero's. Then she realized she was lying on the ground, with pointed grass tickling every inch of skin exposed. Her head was propped on something...

She realized then that her head was rested on Zero's lap. She looked up at him, and felt a peculiar feeling throughout her body. She felt a violent fluttering in her stomach. This isn't the first time she's seen him fast asleep, but seeing him like this never failed to surprise her. And now, with the light surrounding his silver hair, circling his head like a halo, it made him look so angelic. So innocent. So beautiful. So...

Unable to stop herself, she reached up, touching the palm of her hand to his soft cheeks. She felt a shock run through her as her skin came in contact with his. Then there was a warmth that enveloped her hand as he reached up covered her hand with his. His fingers slipped within the spaces between her fingers, and she leaned into her touch. His lips turned up into a he wanted to stay here, in this moment, with just the two of them. She wanted forget about everything. She wanted this so bad. And she wanted this with him. Just last night she was pretty convinced that all she felt for Zero was lust. But now... She knew it was wrong, but he's the only person she'd ever want to spend a moment like this with. Not even Kaname...

His eyes fluttered open, and those violet orbs seemed to be so mesmerizing. "Sorry," he said, with a boyish grin and a voice laced with sleep. _Seductive_. That was the first word that came to her mind. "You were asleep and you wouldn't wake up, so..."

"It's okay," she said happily. "This is fun. I like this."

He still hadn't let go of her hand, and she didn't want him to. She realized then how tired he must've been. Maybe he didn't sleep at all last night. As if he wasn't fully aware of what he was doing, he dipped his head down, resting his forehead lightly on hers. Her breath hitched at their sudden closeness. Suddenly he started moving, his hair tickling her face. Heat rushed up to her face as their noses touched, and then he moved farther than that. Until his lips hovered over hers.

He hesitated, and she had to stop herself from tilting her head up to feel his lips against her. Neither of them were sure who made the slight move, but the next thing they know, they were kissing.

His lips were soft and light against hers. She moved her hand up, her fingers curling around his hair as she pulled her down closer. She craned her neck, taking the kiss as deep as it can go. And in that moment, her mind was blank. She couldn't think of anything. She didn't care that they were out in public, that there were people probably looking at them, that she was probably hurting Kaname as she continued. But she didn't care. She couldn't. Colors exploded in her mind, fire ignited from within, trailing flames in her veins. Heat spread across her body like wildfire.

She didn't know how to do this- kiss upside down, but she couldn't stop herself. She just let him guide her, mimicking the movement of his lips. She just let her instinct and innermost desires to take over her body. She felt his tongue slip into her mouth, colliding with hers.

Her grip on his hair grew tighter as she lost herself completely. She lost herself to the feeling of him so close, to the flavors exploding on his tongue, the softness of his lips... she couldn't help but let out a moan.

And that's when his lips left hers. She craned her neck, yearning for more, but she realized it was over. The moment had gone. Zero's eyes were wide with surprise as his lilac orbs stared into her. "Yuuki," he shook his head as he tried to catch his breath. He looked so guilty, and it pained her to see him like this. He reached up and covered his face with one hand, so that she could only see a glimpse of his confused and disoriented eyes.

_Zero, don't do this to yourself. _"No," she said, struggling to get up. She stood on her knees as she lowered her head and placed both hands on his shoulders. _Why do you look like you're in so much pain? _She reached out and lowered his hand, lacing her fingers with his. "Zero, it was me. It not your fault, it was me. Okay?"

"I'm sorry," she said, as she stood up to her feet. "Let's just... let's just go buy a dress. Is that good with you?" She held out her hand to help him to his feet, but he ignored it completely. She resisted the urge to slap her forehead. That was... it was... They kissed. They actually did it. And now everything is awkward. Why can't they just-

"There're a couple of girly shops around the complex, so we could just leave the car parked by here," he said, his voice back to its cold hard tone. No more of the warmth and softness of the waking boy she had shared a sweet little kiss with.

_God, Yuuki,_ she thought, her cheeks burning furiously. _Get it out of your head!_ But the more she willed it away, the more she felt his lingering lips on hers. She walked ahead of him, making her way out of the park. She looked around as she got out to the street, and found a store with mannequins dressed in lavish gowns at its window. There were at least three dress shops next to each other.

She let out a breath, then looked over her shoulder to make sure he was following her. Which she regretted immediately, seeing that his eyes were burning as he stared at her. She made a run for it, not caring about the cars passing by. Without looking back, she ducked into the store.

A small tingle of bells almost made her jump out of her skin. "Hi, how may I help you?" A young woman in an oversized sweatshirt and ripped jeans emerged out of a sea of racks and hangers and different cloths and colors. The room smelled like roses.

"Uh, I'm just going to look around a bit," she said shyly. She's never been in a store like this before. Never been in any kind of store before, actually.

The woman smiled. Her smile shrunk her eyes into slits, but somehow it lit up her face. "Okay, just call me when you need help."

The door opened, and the bells chimed again. She whipped her head back, and found that Zero seemed normal again. His eyes were bored and angry, his face stubbornly stoic. But he smells like cigarettes, and Yuuki couldn't help but cough. "Have you seen anything yet?" he asked, irritated. He looked so out of place- all boyish and angsty, in a room filled with dresses and roses.

She shook her head no, then made her way towards the racks of dresses. They all looked so beautiful, some of them a little too bizarre for her taste. She reached out, feeling for the cloths. They ranged from prickling beads to tickling fur to smooth silk. As if by impulse, she took random dresses by their hangers, and placed them onto her arm. When she couldn't hold anything anymore, she flung them at Zero, who was at first too surprise to catch it. But then his reflexes took over, and he leisurely caught at the dresses she nonchalantly tossed behind her.

"Yuuki," he said, his words a bit airy. She looked over her shoulder, and almost laughed. She could barely see him through all the dresses he carried. "Why don't you try some of them on first, okay?" Her eyes lightened up. And she nodded excitedly.

Yuuki spent hours in the store, getting in and out of the small room to grab more dresses. Taking them on and putting them back on became tiring, but she couldn't seem to stop. There were so many dresses and she wanted all of them- even the ones that weren't her type at all. She seemed to lose track of time as she was too dazed by the quality of cloth, or the shine of rhinestones at the neckline, or the soft laced ruffles that trailed down the skirt of the dress, or the little flowers embroidered onto the waist. There were so many dresses to choose from! So much colors, so much designs, different styles!

All while Yuuki lost herself in her dresses, Zero sat just outside the fitting room. He sat lousily into an armchair, holding out a cigarette. He's been expecting someone- anyone- to call him out for smoking, but no one seems to care, so he just smoked away. He looked up as he heard someone approach, and found the clerk carrying a tray. She set it down carefully on the table next to him. "Thank you," he said, as she started pouring the tea.

"No problem," she said, politely. She handed him the cup, and he took it thankfully. He hates people. Especially the ones like her. They say things as nice as that, and they make it sound like it's really no big deal and they're not troubled by it at all. But in truth, it's all been rehearsed right before they got accepted for the job. "You've been in here for hours, eh? Such a lucky girl! Very lucky to have such a patient boyfriend!"

Zero almost spurted out his hot tea at the statement. Heat rushed up to his face, but before he could say anything, the lady was walking away, humming. _I'm not her boyfriend! _he wanted to call after her, but somehow, he managed to smile at himself. She thinks he's Yuuki's boyfriend. "Tch." He took a sip of tea, then set it back down on the table. He looked at the tray and found a couple of biscuits and cookies, and an ashtray. He reached for the ashtray and put out his cigarette, squishing its little ashes.

He leaned forward, fishing out his pack from his back pockets, then leaned back into the chair. There was only one left, meaning he finished the whole pack in just two hours. _Dammit,_ he thought, _I just bought it this morning._ He wet his lips, tasting the nicotine. But despite everything, he could still feel her lips under his. He could still taste her-

He jammed the cigarette to his lips, breathing in. He breathed out, exhaling a huge amount of smoke. The grayish white smoke danced in the air, thinning the higher it went, until it vanished completely into the light. "Zero." He looked back down and found Yuuki poking her head out of the curtain. "I think I found it."

She stepped out, wearing a white dress that flowed down up to her knees, but fell almost to her ankles from the back. The sleeves were long and loose around her wrists. She almost looked like she was in a wedding dress. Her cheeks were tinted pink, and she avoided his eyes. "You look..." _Beautiful. Perfect. _But no, "okay. That's better than all the others, I guess."

She gave small nod, then retreated back into the room. Zero stood up, putting the cigarette in between his lips as he jammed his hands into his pockets. He looked up at the clock on the wall, and found that it was already three in the afternoon. His face went deadpan as he realized how long they've been in this place. No wonder the clerk appreciated his patience so much. _We've been here since ten_, he thought, dumbfounded.

The curtains were pushed aside, and Yuuki walked out, hugging the dress close to her chest. Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes sparkled. "What's up with you?" he asked.

"Have you ever fallen in love with something as inanimate as a dress?" she asked, looking down at the piece of clothing article in her arms. She dipped her head down and felt it against her cheeks. "Ahhh~ so good~!"

"Tch. Weirdo." He grabbed the dress from her and slung it over his shoulder. He reached up and tossed his cigarette onto the ashtray. They walked over to the front of the store where the clerk sat behind her desk by the cash register. "We're taking this," Zero said, handing the woman Yuuki's white dress.

Yuuki looked around, taking in the whole store. She will forever keep this moment in her mind- the first time she shopped for a dress. She closed her eyes, picturing Zero smoking a cigarette while he patiently waited for her. She tried to remember how many times she had to take a dress off just to put another one back on. She almost smiled from her arms, sore from all the unnecessary effort.

And then the moment in the park rushed into her head. She opened her eyes, her cheeks red. She felt a hand touch her back, and she cringed, her heart jumping at his touch. As if sensing her uneasiness, he dropped his hand and made his way ahead of her. "Let's go," he said quietly, his voice accompanied by the chime of bells as he opened the door for her.

Before she stepped out, she swore she heard the clerk say, "What a cute couple."

* * *

Zero lay wide awake in bed, remembering the whole day. Playing one scene over and over in his head. He walked Yuuki to the front steps of the Girls' Dorm, and he remembered her words perfectly. "Zero, what happened earlier today... we were both out of it. We were just... It was _nothing_. And it's okay. Things don't have to be... awkward. Please."

Zero gave a little nod before he turned away. He couldn't believe he let it all go. He couldn't believe he'd ruined everything. He's been making every effort not to make his feelings visible, but... this time, he just wasn't able to control himself.

He dreamt about her lips, thought about what it would feel to kiss her... and then it happened. And he couldn't bring himself to stop. Tearing away from her was as painful as tearing away his own skin.

But what really happened? Didn't she kiss him back? Wasn't she the one who pulled him down to her? Or was it him? _It was nothing._ Of course. He couldn't believe he was stupid enough to actually think she may have reciprocated his feelings. So stupid to think that all her affection, her kindness, was all for him. Of course it wasn't. Yuuki is kind and compassionate. She would be willing to offer her blood to any other vampire, not just him. She's worried about everyone, not just him. It's not him.

It's Kaname.


	20. Chapter 20

Preparations are being made for the ball, and the Day class had volunteered to organize the whole event. Of course, everyone was excited. Some even fainted when the posters went up on the bulletin board. Every single Day class student were excited to finally be in the same room as the Night class, breathe the same air as them, maybe even get the chance o share a dance. Even the Day class President who was usually very grumpy from overworking himself is excited. Now, he's not just overworking himself, he's overworking everyone because "Everything has to be perfect, and I shall have a dance with my beloved Ruka Souen-sama!"

But Zero had already puked on his dreams the moment he voiced them out loud. "As if she would ever lay her eyes on you," he said, as he casually leaned back in his seat with his hands clasped behind his head. Of course, the President hadn't said anything. No one could ever actually talk back to Zero. But he went to the boys' bathroom and didn't come back for two hours. And when he did, his eyes were swollen, his cheeks were tear-stained, the tip of his nose was red and snotty.

Despite all Zero's effort to put everyone down, the Day class students worked arm in arm to make the event as successful as possible. Because it's not everyday you get an invitation to a party with the Night class, right?

"To be honest, I kinda agree with Kiryuu-kun," Yori said thoughtfully, as she walked side by side with Yuuki. They both carried a heavy box full of decorations.

Yuuki struggled with her box, as it kept on sliding down from her hands. "Eh? What do you mean?"

"I don't know," Yori shrugged. "It's just that this ball, I don't really see anything special about it. And the Night class-" she let out an exasperated groan. "What even is the deal with them? Everyone looks at them as if they're gods. Everyone's just head over heels over those people, always trying to please them. What's so special about them? I mean, like, what makes them better than all of us?! You couldn't really blame Kiryuu-kun for hating them that much, you know."

Yuuki looked at her friend, somewhat surprised by the sudden outburst. She's known for a while that Yori didn't make a fuss over the Night class, but she had no idea that she didn't like them so much. "Yori-chan... what do you think of them? The Night Class?"

Yori paused for a moment, considering the question and gathering her thoughts. With a heavy sigh, she said, "I think they're just a bunch of snotty spoiled brats. Sent to this school probably by rich parents. That's why they think they're higher than everyone else, but..."

Yuuki kept walking, until she realized Yori was no longer next to her. She looked over her shoulder, and realized that the human girl had stopped walking. She carried the box in her hands with ease, as she looked at the window. Yuuki walked up to her, and found that she was staring right out the window. The sun was high up, and from where they stood, they could see beyond the Gates to the Moon dorm. From here, they could tell that curtains were drawn, given by the dark shades that were the windows. "They're weird..." Yori said, her voice barely a whisper. "They're beautiful," she continued, this time her voice much louder. The voice she used when she's about to explain something. "But in a weird kind of way. They're beautiful in a way no one ever is. Like... yeah, like gods and goddesses. Their beauty is ancient, and... I guess you could say they almost look... perfect." she paused. "Perfect..." she repeated. She gazed intently at the building, as if mesmerized by something. "Almost like..."

Yuuki looked at the building, wondering what Yori was really seeing. Until she caught a flash of something from one of the windows- a pair of bright blue eyes and golden curls retreating back into darkness. Her heart skipped a beat as she realized who it was, and she whipped her head back to look at Yori. The human girl blushed, as she shook her head. "Sorry," she chuckled softly. "I've probably been reading too much books."

She continued on her way, and Yuuki followed. "Just now, what were you thinking?" she asked.

"Nothing," Yori answered with a smile. Her cheeks blushed ever so slightly. "I just remembered a book I was reading. About supernatural beings. They look like humans, but they're not. They're beautiful, the most beautiful creatures to walk earth. They're vampires." She let out another chuckle. "Sorry, I sound ridiculous."

"Vampires, huh," Yuuki repeated. "Do you believe in them?"

"No. I might be reading too much books, but I don't think I'll ever lose sight of what's fiction and what's reality."

"Do you think vampires are scary?"

"No."

"What would you do if you see one?"

Yori turned to look at Yuuki, a laugh bubbling from the pit of her stomach. Yori's cheeks were red as she threw her head back, the sound of her laugh echoing through the halls. "Yuuki..." she said breathlessly as she tried to collect herself. "You should see yourself- you're white as paper! Anyway... don't worry, if we ever see one, I'll protect you. Okay?"

Yuuki let out a nervous chuckle, "Heh, yeah."

"We better move fast or the President will scold us again," Yori said, picking up her pace.

Yuuki followed, though she was still having trouble carrying her load. She sighed. _Yori-chan,_ she thought. _You can't protect me from myself._

* * *

Zero sat across from Kaien, shooting the older man a spiteful look. Fortunately, Kaien has dealt with Zero for years now and was almost immune to his fatal glares. "It's her invite," Kaien said, throwing his hands up in the air in defeat.

"But that doesn't mean we have to actually do what she says!" Zero countered, his nails digging into the leather of the armchair he sat in. The thought of bowing down to that woman's wish, going through all this trouble to host a ball she planned... he couldn't let himself sink that low. He couldn't let himself be a slave to her orders. He will kill her before that happens.

"Zero, this is the only negative thing the Association has on your profile," Kaien mused. "Your very skilled in hand-to-hand combat, you never miss a target at shooting, but you _don't have strategy_. You march headlong into battle!"

"Well, I'm not accomplishing anything by sitting around making plans, am I?!" he shouted, the veins on his neck bulging and his eyes burning with fury.

"The only thing you need to worry about is how to get close enough to give her the final blow," the Chairman said in a serious tone. "All you need to know is drink every bit of her blood, accomplishing two things at once- killing her, and making yourself better." He paused, then added, "or three, actually. Acquire her memories. See what comes next."

"You mean..." Zero trailed off at the thought of another threat coming their way. "This really is a war, isn't it? Not only with Shizuka, but with every single Vampire out there."

Kaien shook his head, a small smile spreading across his face. "We have the Kurans on our side, and that's all we need to win."

"Kuran might be a powerful Pureblood, but what is _he_ compared to a whole army of Purebloods?!"

"Like I said before, there are things you still don't know," the man said calmly. "In time, you will. And that's why you need to drink Shizuka's blood, you understand?"

Before Zero could answer, a knock came on the door. Zero crossed the room to unlock the door, swinging it open. Yuuki stood in front of him, and he didn't quite know how to react. Just last night she had told him that nothing has to be awkward between them, but every single time he looks at her, all he could think of is the texture of her lips, the way she tasted, the way she smiled with her lips against his, and...

"What do you want?" He tried to sound annoyed, intimidating and unapproachable, like he always does. But somehow, it seemed foreign to his own lips. He didn't know how to be normal anymore. He had let his guard down so many times whenever he's around her, and now, he doesn't even know what he really is like.

"Erm... you see... we might not be having a very good night," she said, nervously fiddling with her fingers. "With the preparations going on, it seems the Day class have gone a bit too... let's say, out of control."

Zero let out a groan. They've been having very peaceful nights for the past few months. So peaceful they didn't even have to patrol every night. He looked back at the Chairman with a look of pure poison. "See what that silly ball is doing?" he snatched his blazer from the back of the armchair and stormed off, pulling the door shut behind him with a bang.

* * *

The sky was dark and the moon was out, but the stars were nowhere to be seen. Yuuki sat by the fountain while Zero stuck his head into the cold water. She let out a sigh. It's been a long night and they've already caught five girls hiding behind bushes, two couples making out in the forest, one girl who even tried to climb up the the Gates of the Moon dorm. She fell and Zero caught her in his arms.

Yuuki sighed again.

Zero pulled out of the water, his hair dripping wet. He shook the water off like a dog, sprinkling water down at Yuuki. He let out a sound of annoyance at the back of his throat, almost like a growl. "Those spoiled brats," he said through gritted teeth.

"Take it easy on them," Yuuki said, looking up at him. Water dripped down to his shoulders, soaking up his uniform. _You'll catch something,_ she thought. But she knew better than to say it out loud. She's already reminded him so many times, but some people just never learn. "They're just kids... in love..." she added dreamily.

"Tch. They're not in love, they're just stupid. Love," he shook is head with a look of disgust, "is so stupid."

"No, it isn't!" she said, defending the name of love like a little girl. "Love is... not stupid. It is weird, yes. Maybe you could even say it's stubborn, but it's not stupid at all. It's just... it's just too damn complicated."

"Tch. What are you even talking about?" he said, running his hand through his wet hair. "Complicated. What's so complicated when you only ever loved _that_ person!" He jabbed his thumb over his shoulder and at the Moon dorm.

"That's not true-"

"Shut up," he ordered, cutting her off.

"Hey-"

"I said, shut _up_!" he looked intently from left to right, and it somehow reminded Yuuki of a dog getting a glimpse of a squirrel. "I smell blood." He grabbed Yuuki by the wrist and pulled her after him. "Let's go. It's in the library."

"What do you think is it?" Yuuki said, snatching her hand away from Zero's grip so that she was walking side by side with him, not being dragged by him.

"I don't know, but get Artemis out just in case," he said, his voice full of warning and caution. It was almost like he was expecting the worse. She wondered if that's just how he always think. She wondered if that was how he was raised as a Hunter. She wondered if he often marched into a Hunt expecting he'd never return alive. "it's getting stronger," he said, then he broke out into a run.

Yuuki followed, taking Artemis out from the band around her leg. She wielded Artemis to its full length, and used it to propel herself up, jumping from a great distance. If it wasn't for the actual situation, she would've enjoyed the sensation- her stomach turning upside down, her feet kick off the ground, the wind rushing to her face... but someone was being fed on this very moment, and she had to keep a straight face or else Zero would think she was playing around.

In no time, they were in the library. Zero pointed out his gun and Yuuki held onto Artemis. This would be the first time she'd be using an Anti-Vampire weapon, and she didn't know what to expect. In fact, she just realized the reality of the situation and she had no idea what she would actually do if she finds someone.

"Yuuki," Zero turned around to look at her, placing his hands on her shoulders. He stared intently into her eyes, and she felt her heart beating faster. "Stay behind me. No matter what happens, don't fight unless you have to, okay? If something happens to you, I..." he trailed off, and his eyes seemed to darken at the realization of what he was saying. _If something happens to me, what, Zero?_ she wanted to push, but knew better than to. So she just gave a nod. Zero turned his back to her, cussing under his breath.

They walked slowly, peering into the hallways and through the book shelves. Then there was a swift movement, almost like a shadow darting across Yuuki's peripheral vision. Before she could tell Zero, he was already cussing and running after it. He paused as he reached an open window. He looked down, then back at Yuuki. "Look for a body, I'm going after the vampire," he said breathlessly before jumping out the window.

Yuuki cried out his name, as she ran towards the window. The library was at the third floor of a five-story building, but he seemed to be okay. He landed safely on his feet and took no time to collect himself before running after the dark figure. She couldn't seem to identify who it was, other than a flash of white from the Night class uniform.

Yuuki's chest tightened and she felt her heart pounding in her chest. She was so confused, she didn't what to do. "A body," she whispered. "I need to find a body." A chill went through her body, rattling her bones. "A _body_?! Does he mean a _dead_ body?!"

She heard a moan, and she whirled around, half expecting to see a dead woman in white standing behind her. She held out Artemis, ready to defend. But there was nothing. She started walking, looking for a body. If she heard a sound then maybe it's not dead. She heard another moan, then she heard a loud thud, as if something heavy has fallen to the floor.

She heard footsteps coming near her, and she jumped to her feet, bracing Artemis against her, ready to defend herself from a bloodthirsty vampire. She stepped out of the protection of the bookshelves, exposing herself to the moonlight. She was taken aback by the sight of a young girl, much smaller than she was. She may have been just a year younger than her, a freshman from the Day class.

Even though Yuuki had no heightened vampire senses, the scent of blood was strong enough that she could smell it from where she stood. Blood stained the girl's neck, but Yuuki doubted there was any scar left. "Cross-san," the girl said. Her voice was a raspy whisper. "I... am so thirsty."

Yuuki stared dumbfounded. She was at a loss of words, staring blankly at the innocent girl before her. Could she really hurt this girl just to save her own skin? She knew it was the right thing to do, but it felt so wrong. The girl took a staggering step forward, and Yuuki took a step back. _If it wasn't a_ Pureblood, she thought, _then there's a possibility she wasn't turned. But still... could I take my chances?_ "Please, stop!" Yuuki said, trying to keep her voice even, but failing. Her hands shook as she gripped Artemis tighter. "Please, don't come any closer!"

"Cross-san, I'm so thirsty," the girl repeated again. She advanced a couple of steps, until she her fingers touched Yuuki's hair.

Yuuki flinched away from her, running around her and keeping the distance. The girl whirled around. But her eyes had changed. They were now red, the same way Zero's had been. They were hungry and predatorial. They were captivating.

_Then she was bitten by a Pureblood. But-_ Yuuki's breath hitched at the sudden realization. That white uniform. _Kaname-sama_... For all she knew, the only Pureblood vampire in Night class was her brother, and..._ No. No!_

The girl lunged at her, and with all her might, Yuuki wielded the rod. She didn't even know she was doing it, as if instinct had come over her. Before she knew it, a shriek cut through the air and sparks flew and flashes of lightning illuminated the room as the rod touched the other girl's skin.

Yuuki stumbled backward, taken aback by the power of her weapon. The girl fell to the floor, her body still convulsing. Yuuki watched as sharp flashes of blue trailed the girl's skin, electrifying her. She watched as the vampire pierced her with her red eyes, her snarling lips, her pointed fangs...

"Yuuki!"

She looked over her shoulder just as Zero landed on his feet, straight from outside. He breathed heavily, gulping down the air, catching his breath. "Did you catch him?" Yuuki asked, anxiety taking over her. For a moment, the electrocuted girl no longer mattered. She just wanted to be reassured that it wasn't her brother's doing. Because she knew that Kaname wouldn't do such a thing. But if it wasn't him, then who? She felt her brain being torn into two as she debated with herself.

"No, he was too fast-" he stopped, just as he saw right behind Yuuki. He looked at the girl, then Yuuki, then Artemis. "Pretty hand weapon you got there," he said with apprehension. He grinned, and his eyes seemed to darken.

Yuuki didn't like that look. He walked past her, but she caught at his sleeve. "Is she going to be okay?"

"Soon, yeah," he shrugged. She sighed let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding, but her relief was cut short by his next word, "So we have to do it now before she recovers." He pulled away from her, and before she realized what was happening, he was raising his gun, pointing it at the girl.

Her eyes widened at the sight of it. Even the girl seemed to understand what was happening, for she seemed to surrender. The glow of her red eyes vanished as they returned to the normal color of her eyes. She looked up with teary eyes at Zero, but she was motionless on the floor. A whimper escaped from the back of her throat, and it was all it took for something inside Yuuki to snap. Before she could stop herself, she was running towards the girl. She stopped as she reached her, holding her hands outward. "Please, Zero, there has to be another way," she pleaded. "Shouldn't we tell the Chairman first?"

"Yuuki, get out of my way." His voice was cold and without remorse. He didn't lower the gun, and in fact, he kept it trained on Yuuki's forehead. "Or I shoot you both."

She flinched as his words cut through the air. "You're not killing her. Not on my watch."

"Goddammit, Yuuki, quit being stubborn!" he shouted, all the frustration clearly heard from his voice.

"No-!" A hand clapped down her mouth, and she stumbled backward. It all seemed to happen in slow motion, as if the world finally decided to spare some minutes and stop turning. She fell to the floor, and her back hit something soft. She felt hot breath down her neck, and she tried to scream, though the sound came muffled and distorted. She could feel fangs digging into her skin despite it still being inches away.

Before the girl's fangs could touch her, a cold wind blew through her. It didn't touch her, but she felt something heavy and metallic zoom by.

And then the world started moving again. The hands that restrained her were gone. Her eyes were still wide with shock, and she turned to look over her shoulder. The girl's eyes were wide, staring blankly at the ceiling. There was a bloody hole in her forehead, and-

Yuuki looked away. Before she knew it, she was yanked to her feet by Zero. "_What the hell were you thinking_?!" he shouted in her face. His voice was booming and distorted at the same time. "She could've killed you- I could've shot you! Are you even-" but she was already gone. She couldn't bring herself to listen to anything but her heartbeat. She knew somewhere out there, her brother is relishing the lingering taste of an innocent girl's blood; the girl she stood up for, the girl she tried to protect, she still tried to_ eat_ her.

Yuuki wondered then, _Is there anyone I could trust? _Tears trickled down her cheeks, and it was starting to feel so hard to breathe as she sobbed. Nothing seemed to get better. Their problems just kept coming, all at once.

Zero stopped shouting at her then. He almost forgot she wasn't used to these things. She was far too fragile and innocent for a world filled with blood and death. Her shoulders shook violently as she sobbed, and he couldn't help but feel sorry for shouting at her. His expression softened just as his heart calmed. Absent-mindedly, he reached out, placing his hand on her head the way he always did. He only did it when he knew he was annoying her, and he relished that feeling. But now he did it, because he knew it was their norm. And "normal" is what she needs most right now.

He pulled her close to him, holding her to his chest. He wrapped his other arm around her waist, and he started stroking her hair. He let her cry against him, soaking his front with her tears.


	21. Chapter 21

Rima sat next to Ichijou, with her head rested on his shoulder. She liked how the palm of his hand touched her cheek as he stroked her hair, almost absent-mindedly. She let her eyes flutter close. Her breathing evened out, and her heart was no longer hammering from inside her. She let her body relax, as she leaned in closer to the warmth of the blonde boy with friendly green eyes. Even with her eyes closed, she could feel the kindness in his gaze. "Are you okay now, Rima?" he said, his voice soft as cotton balls.

She nodded against his shoulder. "But he still owes me," she said in her monotonous voice.

Ichijou chuckled. He has known his friends for as long as he can remember, but he's always been closest to Rima and Shiki. He has always been so fond of the two of them, with their doll-like movements and stoic expressions, their blank stares and emotionless banters, their slight narcissism and carefree attitudes... they were too amusing to watch. But despite all that, they knew. They knew just how much they cared for the other, and sometimes he wondered when the time will come for them to finally face their true feelings.

He felt giddy as he thought about it, and he ended up giggling to himself like a little girl. Just as Rima raised her head to ask him what was so funny, one of the double doors opened. She looked up with a blank stare as the familiar mahogany-haired boy came in, with both hands stuffed in the pockets of his sweater, and pocky stick sticking out of his mouth. He kicked the door shut with his foot, sending a loud echo throughout the whole dorm.

"Shiki, you're back!" Ichijou greeted with a warm smile and beaming green eyes. "Rima had been so worried!"

"I wasn't worried," Rima said, her expression stubbornly stoic. She looked up and looked him straight in his cold and shallow eyes. "You ditched me," she continued. "The Manager had to drive me home. Not only that, she also made me take the shoot with some guy I don't know. Seriously, Shiki, how dare you leave me like that?" She frowned at the thought of being stranded in the middle of their site, surrounded by people she didn't feel comfortable with. Shiki has always been her partner, mostly because every photographer whom they did a shoot for said that they just had perfect chemistry.

So it's always been like that. It was her and him, no one else. And now she had to do a shoot with some other guy because he wasn't there. She shuddered at the thought, she felt disgusted.

"Sorry," he said with no emotion as he walked passed the two, and up the stairs. He stopped halfway to the top, then looked down at them. "I felt... so sick."

"Senri."

The three of them looked up, and even if they didn't, they would know who it is. There was ever only one person who called him by his first name, and there was ever only one person who had that kind of authority in his voice. Kaname stood in the middle, where the two stairwells meet, and he held onto the bannister. His eyes were laced with sleep, and his hair was a tousled mess. "I need to speak with you." He turned and walked to his room, and his cousin followed obediently.

Shiki closed the door to Kaname's room as he entered. Kaname stood by the window, with the curtains drawn back so that he was just a shadow in the sunlight. "What is it?" Shiki asked, sounding bored.

"Where were you last night?" the Pureblood asked.

"In class," Shiki shrugged. He knew he ought to show respect to someone as high as Kaname, but he just couldn't bring himself to. He was raised this way, trained by her mother to conceal all emotions. "Why?"

"I found your uniform, torn to shreds in the bushes," Kaname said, his voice tinged with something he didn't quite know. "Would you know why?"

Before he could answer, a sharp pain stabbed through the side of his head. He was having one of those headaches again. A sliver of red flashed inside his mind, like blood pouring, then came a distorted image. He cringed, as he raised his hand to the side of his head, feeling his head pound against the palm of his hand. Kaname turned to face him, a smile visible on his thin lips. "It's good to see you again," he said.

* * *

Yuuki was curled up in her bed, lying in a fetal position. She'd barely gotten any sleep through the night, because every time she closed her eyes all she could see was the lifeless body Day class student. A hole through her head, blood, open yet unseeing eyes... She wondered how Zero could live with it. He was the one who shot her. How does he feel now? Did he lose sleep? Was the image of her limp body imprinted in the back of his eyelids? She didn't want him to feel guilty and hurt the way she is, but she couldn't help but hope that there's a part of Zero that actually feels remorse.

And her brother. Kaname... It had to be him, didn't it? There was no one else. _Kaname-sama... why would you...? _

Her eyes were wide open, and her cheeks were sticky with all the dried up tears. She cried herself through the night, hoping she'd get tired of it and just fall asleep. But not once did she feel the weight on her lids, not once did her brain stop thinking. Now she just feels empty, as if there was an empty space inside her. No organs functioning, no blood flowing, no heart beating, just darkness. Darkness that consumed her, rotted in her brain. Darkness.

She heard the door swing open, and a rush of wind entered the room. She breathed it in, and felt as if it was the first she's breathed since forever. "Yuuki." It was a cold, yet soft voice. She flinched as her name echoed in her ears. She held on tightly to the blanket wrapped around her. She peered out, looking up at Kaname, who leaned against the closer door. He was looking at her roommate's empty made bed. Then he turned to looked down at her, curiously. "Why aren't you class?"

"I feel sick," she said quietly, her voice a ragged whisper. She realized then how dry her mouth was, as if she was filled with sand. Her lips were chapped and bleeding. The images flashed back in her head, and she couldn't stop herself. "Did you do it? Did you feed on that girl?"

Kaname took two long strides then sat on the edge of her bed. He ran his hand over his soft hair, and without hesitation, without missing a beat, without batting an eye, as bold as he could, he answered. "Yes."

Yuuki had known, but the confirmation was the last straw. The whole room collapsed- no, the whole world- the floorboards cracked and the next thing she knew, she was falling. And Kaname was just there, looking at her with those beautiful eyes. She reached out to him, but he wouldn't take her. She was falling into nothing, into an endless oblivion. "Why?" she choked the word out.

"I think we both know the answer to that," he said, looking away. He stared straight ahead, and a sadness came to his eyes. And more than... disappointment? "My thirst was killing me. And I just had to."

"Please," she said, wrapping her arms around her. She suddenly felt cold, as if he soaked her with ice water. "I want to be alone. Please get out."

Without another word, he stood. _Why did you come here, in the first place?_ she thought. It took a long time before she heard the door open, and he stepped out. She drowned in her melancholy and she cherished solitude. _It's better to be alone. It's better this way._

* * *

Kaname faced the door, staring at it and almost through it. He let out a heavy sigh, as he felt his heart ache in his chest. He could only imagine the pain he's putting her through by saying those words. He could only imagine the burning hatred she's feeling for him. But what breaks his heart even more is that this is not the worse he's done to her. There is still more to come, and it pains him that he couldn't keep the secrets at bay much longer. He had hoped that he, alone, would be enough, but...

"Why?" A hard, frustrated voice called out to him. He looked over his shoulder, eyeing the boy with silver hair, leaning against the window bid window across the room. He felt his lips quirk up a little as he realized just how much this boy reminded him of his mother. Zero had his mother's metallic hair and her captivating lavender eyes. But he acquired his father's hard expressions, but maybe it was mostly the way he was brought up and the burden of a tragedy he lived with.

"What do you mean?" Kaname asked mildly. He leaned against Yuuki's door, crossing his arms and his feet.

"Don't play dumb with me, Kuran," he said angrily, his voice low and deadly. Threatening. "I know it wasn't you, so who are you trying to protect? And why? Why would you be willing to lie even to_ her_, just to protect this person?"

Kaname's lips turned up in an smile, and he gave a low chuckle. "You don't really care, Kiryuu," he said, cocking his head to the side. He eyed the boy curiously. "You don't care about my motives... I like that. You only care about her, and whether I make her happy, and whether I hurt her. Yes, I like that. And that's the sole reason you're alive._ You love her_. And you will protect her even if it costs your life. That is your duty, and anything else doesn't matter."

Zero couldn't say anything. All he could do was lower his head and avert his eyes. He's been walking around without the protection of the walls he tried so hard to isolate himself in. He wondered how obvious his feelings are that it could be seen with a naked eye.

"Don't worry," Kaname said, as if hearing his thoughts. "It's just me. And your secret is safe with me. Just don't forget... she's mine."

Without another word, the Pureblood walked away. He wondered how long he could keep doing this- lying not only to himself, but everyone else. He wondered how long he could keep Yuuki within the safe confines of his existence. He wondered how long he could keep the stars in his favor. He wondered how long before she slips away from him and into the arms of another.

The thought pained him, and it angered him. The current situation doesn't make anything better. He could feel it starting. He could feel her drifting away from him, and he couldn't bear it. It had started the moment they came here, the moment she saw that Hunter. He knew, in that moment, he had lost her. He lost her to the color of lavender.

_Damn the stars_, he thought. _They're just stars_.


	22. Chapter 22

Yori let out a heavy sigh, as she continued combing through Yuuki's tangled hair. Yuuki winced whenever the comb got stuck on knotted strands, and Yori ends up yanking the comb out of her nest-like hair. Yuuki sat in a chair, staring into the mirror in their bathroom, but she couldn't see herself. All she could see was a pale girl with dead brown eyes and chapped lips. She looked dead. Maybe she_ is_ dead. "You really let yourself go for the past few days, huh," Yori said thoughtfully. "It's really hard to understand you, Yuuki, so I wouldn't try. But if you really need someone to talk to, I'm here for you. Really."

The girl looked up at Yori's reflection. Her short light brown hair was pulled up into a little ponytail and there was so much kindness lighting up her eyes. Her hands were light and gentle as she handled Yuuki's hair- or maybe that was because she finally disentangled every knot in there. Yuuki was reminded, once again, of how easy it is to be human. How wonderfully blissful it is to have nothing to do with the supernatural.

"Yori," she asked. She tried to make her voice alive and cheerful even though inside, she was dead and rotten. "Are you excited for tonight?"

Yori smiled, though she kept her eyes trained on Yuuki's hair. "I guess you can say that," she shrugged. "It's a school dance after all."

"Is there anyone you're planning to dance with?" She wiggled her brows for effect. She remembered Yori staring out the window, at Aidou. She giggled at the memory. Though she didn't approve of Yori falling for him because it would only end up hurting her, she still thought it was kind of cute that she actually likes someone. "Idol, perhaps?"

The human girl's cheeks grew so red she looked like she was burning, and she seemed to shrink in size, and her brushing increased in speed. "What do you mean? W-w-what are you even saying? I don't-" she let out a groan. "I don't dance, okay? And if ever, I'm not going to dance with any brat from Night class."

"If you say so~" she said with a teasing voice and a wink.

Yori's expression softened, and a gentle smile formed across her lips. "There you are," she said, her voice filled with so much happiness. She wrapped both her arms around Yuuki's shoulders, and they both stared at each other in the mirror. "Yuuki-chan! Where have you been these past few days? You know, it got so lonely without you..."

Yuuki's eyes stung with tears that she blinked away. "I'm so sorry," she said, reaching up and squeezing the girl's arm around her. "I'm so sorry, I swear I'm never going to leave you again." And this was it. In that moment, she knew what she had with this human girl was real. That they really are friends. And in that moment, she vowed to protect this girl from the dangers of her world. Because if she's not going to leave her, then it's bound to be a dangerous journey for the both of them.

And just like that, everything was better. Thoughts of Kaname and Zero and the dead girl left Yuuki. Thoughts of Vampires and Hunters vanished. Thoughts of past and future, forgotten. Because she was living in this moment. The moment she's human. Because she will never be as normal and as human as she is now, just a normal teenage girl playing around with makeup with her best friend as they prepared for a school dance. And she could pretend that that's all it is, just a school dance, not a ball orchestrated for one final night between the Master and the Puppet.

After what felt like hours, they were finally dressed up. Yuuki opened the door of their dorm room, poking her head out and scanning the hallway. "Do you see anyone?" Yori whispered behind her.

Yuuki shook her head, feeling the little curls of her hair slap her cheek. She wore her hair down, though Yori curled some of the strands so they stood out among her straight brown hair. "Coast is clear," she whispered back. "Let's go."

They walked out, unsure in their own skin. They stayed close to the walls, as if hoping they would turn into their own shadows. Yuuki wore the dress she bought with Zero, and it felt even better than it did before. The sleeves flowed out way past her hands, and she liked that. There was a white choker with a rose right in the middle of its big ribbon around her neck, keeping her warm against the cold wind. She felt her trail flowing with the air, pulling her back. Her white heels clicked as she walked across the courtyard.

Yori, walking by her side and nervously clutching a blue purse, wore a blue dress that hugged her figure in the most beautiful way, emphasizing her perfectly curved hips. The dress hung just above her ankles, and she had a light blue, almost see-through shawl wrapped around her shoulders. They both made their way to the ballroom, and as they neared, they could hear the lively chatters and the waltz music.

Yuuki felt heat rush up to her cheeks as she stepped into the light of the room. She suddenly felt as if all eyes were on her, and she felt naked as she stood before all these people. But despite their burning stares, she knew no one was really looking at her. Because everyone's eyes were on the Night class, divided into clustered groups around the room. Some kept to themselves in the corners, and she spotted Ichijou-san, along with Shiki and Rima around the buffet table. At the back of the room was Aidou, with Ruka and Akatsuki.

Everyone was losing themselves in the moment, and none of them could care less about her. And somehow, that sad truth made her feel better. Compared to all these beautiful vampires, she was but a shadow in the background. But still, as she scanned the crowd, she saw a specific pair of eyes trained on her. Before she could stop herself, she was walking towards a dark and solemn figure leaning against the white walls.

"Well, you look handsome," she teased, reaching up to fix the collars of his dress shirt. And she wasn't just saying that to tease him, it was also true. He always looked good in whatever he wore, but now, tonight, in that moment, as he stood before her with moon just peering inside the window behind him... She dropped her arms to her side. She looked over her shoulder, realizing Yori was no longer by her side. She spotted her immediately in the crowd, chatting with a group of girls. She returned her attention to Zero, and took a deep breath. "How are you feeling?"

"Never been better," he said, with bitter pleasure. Yuuki could see the excitement in his eyes, could almost hear the adrenaline pulsing in his veins, the hunger was real and it scared her.

She looked down, feeling her heart ache in her chest. _After tonight... _She tugged on his sleeves. "Let's go outside," she said quietly. She turned, pulling him after her as she made her way through the sea of dancing bodies and twirling dresses, until she felt his hand bracelet her wrist, stopping her. Then she felt his chest against her back, and felt her cheeks heat up again. "You look beautiful, by the way," he whispered softly in her ear. His breath was hot and tickling, and she felt like she was going to implode. Her cheeks grew unbelievably hot, and there was extreme chaos in her stomach, as if all her organs were being set on fire. She felt like she was going to puke rainbows and butterflies.

"Thanks," she muttered, barely opening her mouth in fear of not being able to control her raging emotions. She continued on her way as his hand left her wrist, but she couldn't quite find the will to let go of his sleeve. He followed her quietly, without protest, as she dragged him out towards the open air. She didn't realize she's been holding her breath until she got out, and filled her lungs with every ounce of oxygen she could gather. She finally broke away from him, and she let the cold air surround her as she stepped over to the marble bannister. Underneath were rosebushes, and its scent filled her nostrils. She breathed in the scent of roses, she breathed in the scent of the night.

The night was young, and the stars were out, filling in the empty space of black. She propped her head on the palms of her hands in wonder as she looked out at the dark expanse that is the sky. She wondered how far the night sky went. She wondered how many stars were there, even though she knew it was impossible to count. She started counting then, but she lost herself by the time she reached twenty. She wondered where they went when the sun came up. Did they fly away, hide, or do they simply stop twinkling? But all these questions were empty and irrelevant. They were distractions. Thoughts she liked to think to keep her worries at bay. To keep herself from imagining the worse case scenarios.

She turned around to face Zero, who has been painfully quiet for the whole while. He stood with his hands in his pockets, staring up at the sky with his eyes closed. She looked at him and wondered what he was thinking. What was going through his head, in this very moment? She realized then that the double doors were close. But still, the music filtered through and she could hear the hair-raising sounds of the violin, the elegant strokes of the harp, and the beautifully keyed piano. She stepped away from the bannister and walked towards Zero. "Hey," she said quietly.

His eyes fluttered open, and he looked down at her, with a gleam in his eyes. She reached out and took his hands out of his pockets, her cheeks lightly tinting pink. She held his hands in hers, feeling his warmth course through him. She didn't know what to do, and like a cave man, she started slipping in her fingers in the empty spaces between his. Like a child wanting to play, she looked up at him, with huge pleading eyes. "Dance with me, Zero."

His lips turned up into a slight smile, and he raised his hand, holding hers. She placed a hand on his shoulder, and he placed a hand on her waist.

* * *

Akatsuki scanned the room, watching the people turning in circles in time with the music. He could feel some girls staring at him, and as he met their eyes, they turned away and giggled to themselves. Then he shifted his gaze to the lady next to him, with her light brown hair piled neatly on top of her head, a bun with a few loose stray strands. Her shoulders were exposed, white and porcelain-like skin. She looked beautiful, if only she'd let the scowl on her face go away. She crossed her arms over her chest, tapping her fingers on her elbow. "Ruka, I don't think he's showing up," he said, in a bored tone. "Quit stressing." She just shot him a deadly glare. "Oh, come on, have fun for once!" he said.

He looked to his other side, and watched his cousin staring at a human girl in the distance. She was unfamiliar, no one he's seen before, but his cousin seemed to be interested in her. "Oi, Aidou," he said. "Quit staring, you're going to melt her."

"Tch. Funny 'cause you're the one who was flames in his veins," he chuckled, and took a sip from his second glass of punch.

"Just ask for a dance already."

"I'm only going to ask her, if you ask _her_," Aidou dared, tearing his eyes away from Sayori Wakaba, to look seriously into Akatsuki's eyes.

Akatsuki just shrugged, then looked away from him then back to her. "Oi, Ruka." He peeled himself away from the wall, and took a few steps toward the girl. She looked over her shoulders, a poison in her eyes as she pierced into his. "Dance with me," he held out his hand, mustering the words as boldly as possible despite his blood turning into ice.

Without a word, she took his hand, her palms touching his. He felt a tingle run through his body as her skin brushed against his. He looked over his shoulder and glared at Aidou, who's face was flustered as he finally crossed the room to dance with the human girl.

* * *

Rima's back slammed against the wall hard, and she swore she heard a crack in her spine. There was a swift surge of pain, then a rush of pleasuring warmth as she sealed instantaneously. She was just about to break away from the wall when Shiki placed his hands on her shoulders, pushing her against the wall, a little more gently this time. "Hey, Shiki," she said, her voice clipped and annoyed. "If you wanted it, you could've asked nicely."

She was just enjoying herself in the dessert table, ignoring all the Day class students that tried to talk to her, when Shiki grabbed her by the elbow and dragged her after him. Beyond a heavy velvet curtain, was a little closet room, which they are currently occupying this very moment.

Shiki leaned in closer now, so that there were only inches between their faces. He was so close they were breathing the same air. Then he dipped his head down, going for her neck. Her blood flowed freely to his lips, and he almost moaned as he cherished the sweetness. His grip tightened, and his fingers dug into her skin. She gave out a little cry of pain as she cringed. "Shiki, you little-"

She could sense something different. It had started that day, the day he ditched her during their photoshoot. He's been strange ever since then. And now as he drank from her, she knew something was definitely wrong. The feeling of having his fangs so deep inside her flesh and skin was different. This hurt. This person showed no restrain or whatsoever as he devoured her. Shiki, no matter how hungry he was, always cared about her. Even when he wanted nothing else but to drain her, he would handle her gently.

This was...

This is not the Shiki she knew.

* * *

Zero's hand was firm on her waist and soft against her own palm. Yuuki was almost taken aback by how graceful he was as he danced, almost surprised that he could actually dance. She didn't know why- maybe it was because he just never struck her as the boy who had time to learn how to dance. She wondered then if his mother taught him. Maybe, on one of those normal days, they would dance in the middle of the kitchen.

Yuuki closed her eyes, trying to imagine what Zero's childhood must've been like. She could imagine Zero stepping on his mother's feet occasionally, and she would just laugh. She could imagine his father coming home from a Hunt, then coming to take his mother's hand for their turn to dance. She could imagine Zero and Ichiru cheering their parents on, watching the love in their eyes as they looked lovingly at each other.

Yuuki found herself closing the space between them, reaching up to wrap her hands around his neck. He lowered his hands, sliding gently along her back, and a shiver ran down her spine. His hands settled on either side of her hips, as they stopped turning and circles and just swayed to the melody. Yuuki rested her ear against his chest, listening to his heartbeat, beating at the same pace as hers- quick.

They stopped swaying, and sort of just stood there in each other's arms. They warmed each other against the cold, and they comforted each other against the horrors of the night. "Zero," she said quietly. Her voice sounded thick in her ears, from all the tears she's trying to keep down. "Everything's going to be okay."

"I know," he said. His voice sounded cold, once again. She broke away just enough to look up at him, and he looked back down at her. "I know you're hiding something from me. But I don't want to be the one to put you in a situation where you have to explain yourself to me, so... I'm just going to go with it."

Thoughts, words she wanted to say, itched at the back of her mind. She wanted to tell him so many things, but she wasn't ready. But there was no better time than now, and it was all just too hard. She felt the weight of the world crushing her, pushing down on her, and she felt like she was being squished. And at last, she couldn't hold it in any longer. Tears streamed down her face. Her shoulders shook violently as she sobbed.

She unclasped her hands from his neck, and she pulled his face down to hers. She pressed her forehead against his. His body went rigid for a second, his eyes widening with surprise. "Zero." Her voice was muffled by her tears. "Nothing will be the same. _Ever_. But I don't want it too. Zero, I just... I..." She sobbed so hard her chest hurt. "I..." _love you. I love you so much. I love you so much I can't even-_

But before she could say the words, Zero had pulled away. She recognized that stance, that look on his face, the glimmer of anticipation in his eyes. She ran out of time. She ran out of guts. And now it's too late. Zero gave her one last look, and held his hand out to her. She wiped her tears, and took his hand. Together, they marched toward the single moment that could turn the whole chessboard over.


	23. Chapter 23

Zero's heart felt heavy in his chest. Each beat sent a bowling ball rolling through his veins. He knew Yuuki was right next to him, but he couldn't help but feel alone. Alone in the darkness, searching for that little sliver of light. Searching... searching for power, for revenge, for redemption. Searching for the woman who took everything from him, searching for the moment he could finally pull the trigger.

But as he made his way, following the trail of her powerful aura, he realized that he was headed towards the Academic building, where their classes are held. The corridors were empty for everyone was in the ball. Is this it? Is this the whole purpose of that ball?

Her scent filled his nostrils- the stench of great power that coursed through her veins. With each beat of his heart, he saw an image of her. Her sliver white hair flowing in the wind as she stood over him, the bloody bodies of his parents. He saw her peering from behind the trees. He saw her _everywhere_. "Shizuka," he said, his jaw clenched and his teeth gritted as he pulled a classroom door open. It was the AV Room, the biggest classroom in the academy. The room was empty, except for the desks pushed back on the other side of the room.

He saw the woman standing by the window, and as she turned to look at him, her face was bathed with moonlight, her smile illuminated against the night sky. "Did you have fun?" But she looked past him, the question directed at Yuuki. The girl stiffened behind him, and Zero grabbed her by the wrist as he pushed himself in front of her, concealing her from the Pureblood's prying eyes.

The woman let out a laugh. "No need to be so protective, Zero," she said. "We're all friends here. Right, Yuuki?"

Yuuki's breathing had grown shallow with all the tension that filled the atmosphere. She moved her hand, taking Artemis from the band around her thigh. "I guess so," she said, her voice surprisingly calm and steady. But inside, she was screaming with fear and her bones were quaking. She took a deep breath, then slowly stepped out from behind Zero to stand beside him. She looked up at him, and found that he almost looked angry. _Step behind me!_ His expression shouted. She looked away then, looking at Shizuka straight in the eyes.

She realized then that there was a sadness in the woman's calm eyes. Yuuki suddenly felt her heart break, sympathy radiating through every pore of her body. It hurt to think of what that woman might be feeling, as she stood before them, knowing how this would all go.

A tune seemed to cut through all the tension. The sound was swift and soft, as if something had just zoomed in past her. Then there was Zero's cry of agony. Yuuki whipped her head to find an arrow through his shoulder. Her eyes widened, as blood exploded, raining down on her dress. She looked down at herself, horrified, as Zero's cry echoed in her head. What seemed so pure and innocent was now smeared with death.

"Aw, my bad," said a familiar light voice. He almost sounded friendly. Yuuki whipped around to find Zero's twin walking towards the center of the room, with a crossbow in his hand. A casual grin was painted on his lips as though they were just playing golf. He looked down at his weapon as if it was a work of art, then slung it over his shoulder. "I was trying to aim for Yuuki-chan, but- well, I've never really been good at target shooting. Right, Zero?"

* * *

Kaname walked into the room, and there came a shift in the air. Everyone seemed to stop to just stare at them, and it annoyed him to such an extent it took every ounce of self-control to not rip everyone's eyes out of their skulls. That was one of the things he hated most about being what he is, a Pureblood- his mere presence demanded attention. And there was a time when he shied away from all those vulture-like eyes, but in time he had learned there was no escaping it. He was a Pureblood and he couldn't do anything about it. He was nothing but an exotic animal in a cage, for everyone to look at.

But it's only a matter of time before he breaks out of that cage and ravage his audience.

"Kaname-sama!~" some girl squealed, and somehow, he managed from somewhere deep inside him to offer them a smile. In a matter of seconds, he was surrounded by fangirls asking for a dance or two, but he politely declined each and every one of them. He walked away, then continued on his way to the other side of the room. As he made his way, he caught sight of Ichijou shooting him a worried look. He gave him an acknowledging nod. He could sense it already. All kinds of trouble was merging in the atmosphere.

He walked out into the balcony, and he could still feel the essence of Yuuki presence. She was here, he could feel it, but... she was with _him_. Kiryuu's aura meddled with hers, and it frustrated Kaname to an extent.

"My lord."

"What is it, Seiren?" he asked, without turning around. He knew what she was going to say even before she spoke the words. The scent of blood filled the air, and chaos in the atmosphere.

"It has begun," she said, her voice stone cold and hard.

Kaname nodded with understanding.

* * *

Yuuki knew how this should go. But from her perspective, Shizuka and Ichiru was dancing on some kind of pattern. They had a plan behind their plan, and she didn't seem to get the script for it. She stood there, her feet glued to the floorboards. She didn't what to do, where to go, what to say. Her eyes were fixed on Shizuka, and the woman's were on hers. The woman nodded, and somehow, Yuuki knew what was about to happen.

"Are you ready to kill your master, Zero?" Shizuka asked, the sadness in her voice evident. Yuuki doubted that the woman was even trying to hide her true intentions. Even Zero seemed to wonder where all the sorrow was coming from.

"I've been ready for four years," he said through clenched teeth. He raised his gun, pointing it towards the woman, right between her eyes. Neither Ichiru nor the woman made a move, and it was as if they were letting him do as he pleases. Which, to him, is just too suspicious. Next to him, Yuuki just seemed as lost as him, but somehow there was understanding in her eyes. _What is it?_ he thought, a wave of frustration crashing over him. _What are you all hiding from me? _

He pulled the trigger, but he lowered his hand, sending the bullet through the woman's shoulder. She let out a cry, as she reached up to her injured shoulder, blood seeping through the fabric of her kimono, slipping through the spaces between her fingers. He looked up at her face and found that her eyes were almost teary, and her smile was extremely and ridiculously genuine. _Something isn't right here. _

"What are you really planning?!" he shouted as he sent another bullet flying. It hit Shizuka's other shoulder, sending trails of blood down her kimono. Which almost gave an artistic and ceremonious effect.

"Zero, I..." Yuuki started, but he could barely hear her through the sound of his heart beating in his ears. She reached her hand up to her chest, and looked away from Shizuka's bloody body. She saw Ichiru, whose face was ashen. His eyes were concealed behind his silver hair, as he looked down. His arms were at his sides. Yuuki's heart broke yet again.

Yuuki crossed the room, not even caring anymore. Somehow, she felt a sense of responsibility for everyone in the room. She already knew that Zero would walk out victorious, but now she wants to console his brother. She walked towards Ichiru, as she knew he was in great pain and that Shizuka wouldn't want him to witness this either. "Stop." She heard the woman's commanding voice, and she froze. She looked over her shoulder thinking it was her she was talking to, but it wasn't.

Zero now stood still as a statue in front of the woman. "Kneel." He obeyed, his body shaking ever so slightly as he tried to fight it. Yuuki watched as the boy dropped to his knees, kneeling in front of the woman he loathed most. She could feel his agony as his pride and dignity was snatched away in that split second. "Drop Bloody Rose." He obeyed, placing the gun on the floor next to him.

"Ichiru," Yuuki whispered as she reached the boy. She tugged at his sleeve until he looked at her, a pained expression on his face. "Let's give them some time to themselves."

There was a sadness in his eyes and a solemnity to his nod. She didn't let go of his sleeve as she guided him out the room, and he didn't pull away. She took one last look over her shoulder before she stepped out. Shizuka held Zero by the chin, forcing him to look at her. She looked into his eyes with sad recognition. "Your eyes," she said, just loud enough that Yuuki could hear her strained voice. "They're his... So beautiful."

Yuuki let out the breath she didn't know she was holding as they got out into the empty hallway. She slumped against the wall, catching her breath as though she's been running. Ichiru stood next to her, his head lowered and his eyes closed. His arms were crossed over his chest, and he looked as though he was sleeping. Yuuki couldn't help but stare. She knew they were twins, but she couldn't help but be astonished at how much this boy looked like the other.

"What the hell are you looking at?" he turned to glare at her.

Her blood froze in her veins, and she suddenly straightened her back. It was like one of those natural reflexes. "S-sorry, I just-"

"You're annoying," he sighed, cutting her off with his light voice. It only made her happier. He was so much like Zero she almost wanted to laugh. But she couldn't, given the severity of the circumstances. "But I think I know what he sees in you. You're..." he trailed off, leaving her with empty words hanging in the air. She eagerly tried to grasp them but she couldn't reach them, concealed behind his carefully sealed lips.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

He glanced at her, scrutinizing her very being. "You're stupid," he said, almost lightheartedly. "Both of you. So stupid. So clueless."

She was slowly realizing what he was saying, and there was nothing else to say. She remained quiet for several minutes, as thoughts floated in her head. She suddenly felt giddy and there was a warmth in her stomach, which spread to her whole body. But then a chill ran through her, freezing all the bubbly happiness.

"Ichiru-kun," she said, her voice gentle as if she were tending to an injured animal. "I still don't get any of this."

He slowly slid down to the floor, until he sat with his legs crossed. Just like a little boy. "Where do you want me to start?" he asked. He sounded so carefree, like nothing even mattered anymore. Like there was no point in keeping things confidential, even to someone like her.

"The ball... what's the relevance?"

Ichiru gave a low chuckle. "Shizuka-sama is in a very emotional state right now." Despite the boyish grin on his face, his voice sounded bitter and cruel. "You might think she's here for Zero, and, yes, indeed she is. But if you're thinking she's on your side, then you're wrong. Shizuka-sama doesn't take sides, she does as she pleases. She cares for my brother, but that doesn't mean she cares for everyone in this Academy. With the scent of her blood contaminating the air, how do you think the Night class would respond?" He looked up at her then, with a deadly gleam in his eyes.

The realization hit Yuuki hard. She hadn't thought about that at all. She was too preoccupied thinking about Zero that she forgot of the vampires' true nature. She let her own emotions get in the way of her duty as a prefect, guardian of the grounds and protector of the humans. She turned to leave, but Ichiru grabbed her by the wrist. "You can't leave," he said, his voice commanding.

"You can't make me-"

"He needs you, Kuran!" The intensity of his voice almost shook her, and she whirled around to look at him. He looked pained, and he clutched at his chest as if someone had shot him. But she knew better than to look for a bullet wound. Because she knew the pain he felt was from within.

"Ichiru-kun..." _She's gone,_ she thought. _It's over. _"I'm so sorry."

"Be there for him," he pleaded. His eyes shined with tears, but none of them fell. "He'll need you."

Yuuki didn't say anything. She couldn't. Shizuka Hiou was gone with not much as a sound of gun shot in the air. What was happening? "And Yuuki," he added. His voice sounded different, almost as if he was unsure of himself. And despite everything, his cheeks were slightly pink as he avoided her eyes. "Maria... she's still on campus, please tell her-"

"Ichiru!"

A voice boomed like thunder, echoing through the dark and empty hallway. Slowly, a dark shadow made its way toward the moonlight, and Yuuki realized that it was one of the Night class vampires. "S-Shiki-senpai!"

But it wasn't him. There was something odd about the way he looked, and it caught her off-guard. "Shiki... senpai?" His eyes... where one was icy blue, the other was a familiar shade of brown...

Yuuki flashed back to ten years ago, seeing a man with a whole army behind him. His eyes were a different color from each other, and it used to scare her, rattle her through he very core. And now here he is, standing before her. The man she was running away. He looked at her now, mirroring the recognition in her eyes, and the distant expression on her face. It was as if their minds were travelling back to the same night.

Ichiru's grip grew tighter around Yuuki's wrist, snapping her out of reverie. "Are you ready, my lord?" he said, before either Kuran could answer. His voice was hard and composed.

"I've been ready a millennia ago, stupid boy," he said. It was rather odd for Yuuki to hear such unpleasant emotion coming out of Shiki's mouth. The boy usually only spoke with an emotionless tone. He kept his eyes trained on Yuuki, and she felt sweat building up on the palms of her hands. She knows he knows. He could see right through her. But why? Why isn't he doing anything? Why isn't he attacking?

Ichiru finally let go of her, and made his way towards Shiki's body. He gave an elegant bow as he offered his everything- his body, his soul, his loyalty, his blood- to this man. "You reek of that woman's scent," the man sneered, which was an awkward expression on Shiki's porcelain face. "It's _disgusting_."

Both men turned to leave, disappearing into the darkness. "Ichiru-kun!" Yuuki called one last time, and she heard the click of his heels as he stopped to listen to her. "I have one more question- if we all know it's coming down to this, then why didn't she just tell him? Why didn't she just-"

"Shizuka-sama is tired," Ichiru said, his voice drifting from the oblivion. "She wanted to die by _his_ hands."

And then there was nothing. Just the sound of music in the distance, so merry against this solemn scene. _It's such a cruel thing, _she thought, balling her hands into fists at her sides, _for a mother to wish to die by her own son's hands._


	24. Chapter 24

Zero bit down, and her blood came rushing into his mouth. He moaned in ecstasy. He has never tasted anything so good. He felt the power rushing through his veins. He could feel something changing within him, growing in strength, as he gulped down every drop of her blood. And in that moment, he lost himself. He was no longer human. He was consumed by something more monstrous than a vampire filled with bloodlust, he was consumed by a vampire who wanted nothing else but power. Power... More and more and more and more power...

He wanted this. He wanted her rich and luscious blood. He wanted every single drop and he didn't want to leave any for anyone else. He was willing to drown in this woman's blood, be consumed by her power. This pure yet treacherous blood... he wanted more of it. He didn't want anything other than this.

But then it started coming. Flashing lights, then images rushing by in a blur. Emotions that overwhelmed him too much. His chest began to ache, and his head began to pound. He wanted to unclasp his fangs from her neck, but he couldn't stop. Her blood was too irresistible. He felt an immense darkness swelling up inside him, and an immense hunger. He saw distorted faces and limp bodies, seas of blood and streets of darkness. He saw a man with eyes the same color as his. He felt something else inside him, something that fought away the darkness inside, something that thawed the frozen black heart.

Then there was pain. Not physical, but something that tormented him from within the mind and in his chest. He saw the man's body solidify. Slowly, his skin began to crumble, until nothing was left but his lavender-colored eyes. Then he disintegrated into a heap of ashes, blown away by the wind. Anger swelled inside his chest, fury surged in his veins.

He was overcome with vengeance. He tore through the bodies of every single human he came across, draining their blood and snapping their backs. He killed Hunters who tried to Hunt him. It could be called self-defense, but he might've been taking it a little too far. He set fire to their homes, their villages, and the remaining survivors were fed on.

And that's when he realized that this wasn't him. This was Shizuka Hiou. He saw through her past as he fed on her. She was feeding him her memories. She was giving him a glimpse of her life.

As known by everyone, Shizuka Hiou is one of the most powerful Pureblood vampires to exist. She was feared by not only humans and Hunters, but also vampires as well. She was neither good nor evil. She was just simply as she is. She does as she pleases. But it all changed when she met Rido Kuran. Somehow she had been so drawn to him. They became lovers, though the basis of their relationship isn't love, but power. Blood. The power that flowed in their veins. And it drove both of them mad. The thought of such limitless power blinded them both. Together, they knew they could take back what's truly theirs- bring the government back into a monarchy where vampires ruled the whole world.

But then that would mean the Treaty between Vampires and Hunters would be void. Hunters opposed them. And this little opposition turned into war. Vampires who were just as power-hungry allied with Shizuka and Rido, though some vampires fought alongside the Hunters. It lasted for years and years, from generation to generation of the Hunters.

Until that one night...

Rido had set a whole village on fire, for no reason at all. He took in the scent of burning bodies as the flames licked at his feet, devouring house after house. Shizuka had fed on the ones she could find. Her kimono was stained with blood and ashes. Piles of dead drained bodies lay underneath her, and that's when she caught sight of a body writhing in pain. It was a man she have failed to drain. She walked over to him, his body convulsing. The bite she had made on his neck was starting to heal. He was turning.

She knew she should've killed him. It would've been so easy for her to snatch his life away from him, tear his head off his neck or snap his back. But she couldn't. She was overcome with an emotion she didn't quite understand. His lavender eyes looked into hers, and there wasn't any sign of fear.

This man was a Hunter, though without shame, he put his past behind him. Together, they ran away from her fiancé. Of course, Rido wouldn't let them go so easily. He came after them, turning the whole world upside down just to find her. But in the end, something entirely different has caught his attention. Something that offered him more power than even Shizuka did.

Shizuka lived peacefully with her Hunter. For the first time in a million years, she actually felt happy. Happy with him.

And then she got pregnant. Turmoil struck from within her as two boys fought for dear life.

Hunters believed that it was a danger to have twins inside a woman's womb. Because that is where survival of the fittest first begins. Each twin will fight each other for survival- absorbing as much nutrients as they can, obtaining more than the other can. Majority of the time, only one comes out alive. What Hunters don't know is that it's exactly the same for Vampires.

But Vampires, unlike humans, have to carry the baby inside the womb for five years. The woman becomes very sensitive, with heightened senses and a bigger appetite. With her pregnancy, Shizuka could feed on three whole villages per day. She was able to create ten times more the damage than what she could normally do. Of course that caught the Hunters' Association's attention.

They came after her, waited for her to attack. And when the opportunity presented itself, bringing a bloodthirsty Pureblood princess right in front of them, they ambushed her. They tried to kill her but she was more powerful than their whole army.

But unlike her, her lover wasn't quite so unstoppable. They killed him. With anti-vampire weapons. She watched as he crumbled down to her feet, cried as his skin turned ashen. He whispered something in a raspy voice, three words that drifted through the air along with his ashes. _I love you. _Her heart grew full of hatred and anger, she was nothing but a vengeful spirit.

Shizuka gave birth to her twins. It was a miracle that both of them had survived, though one turned out way healthier than the other. The healthier one opened his red eyes, his vampire senses awakening immediately. It pained her to look at them. It pained her to look into their eyes and see nothing but him. By that time, the Hunters were after her. They've grown in number and strength through the years, and she knew her sons were in great danger from them.

She turned her children human.

Somehow, she found her lover's brother- a man whose wife is barren. To her surprise, the man let her into his home without hesitation. He treated her with hostility, but he heard her out. She wanted to leave her sons with them. She turned them human, and she is letting them raise her boys the way they want to- as Hunters or mere humans, it didn't matter as long as they were safe.

The man agreed, and they took them in. The couple loved Shizuka's twins as if they were their own. For years, Shizuka watched from afar. Concealed behind shadows, hiding behind trees. Her sons were raised as Hunters. Though, as expected, one of them was weak and unfit for such physical exertion. Where the other excelled, the other lacked.

But the world was conspiring against her. She couldn't even watch her sons grow up without having to run away from angry mobs of Hunters. And when she wasn't running from Hunters, she was running away from a man who was once her lover. There was no other choice but to hide, to cower behind the protection of her home. Deep within her castle was her deathbed. A coffin awaited her, and she slept. She slept for years- a dreamless oblivion.

When she woke, she knew it was time. Somehow, she felt it. Her pursuer has been weakened. Rido was defeated. She was free. She rose out of the darkness, with sand in her throat and an empty stomach. She walked out of her castle like a hungry wolf. She was a predator and everything that came into her view was food. Yet again, she was the cause of dozens of lives. Though she felt no remorse for it. She has lived too many years to feel any remorse for such mundane things.

Before she knew it, she found herself at the Hunters' house. She was blind, without consciousness of what she was doing. Before she could stop herself, her son was already in her arms. Blood spilled out of his neck. She has turned him. She looked for her other son, and he stood paralyzed, staring at her. But like his father, he showed no sign of fear. Just fascination and admiration. She looked down at the boy in her arms, and felt his anger radiating from his every pore.

It broke her heart to be hated by his own son. But she did let the Hunters raise him as one of them, and she couldn't blame him for being hostile towards her. There was no point in trying to have him believe her now. He hated her, and if she reasoned with him, he was only going to hate her even more. There no choice but to just to go along.

She couldn't bring herself to turn the other one back into a vampire. He was far too weak to survive the transition. So she just took him with her. She didn't tell him who she really was to him until a couple of years later.

Then it was time for them to warn Kaname Kuran of the budding war. They came to Cross Academy for the sole purpose of giving a warning, but Shizuka wanted to stay close to his other son. Even if it was just to watch him from afar. Even if she couldn't come a feet closer to him without being glared at, she took it. Because she wanted to see him.

And seeing him like that, with the Kuran princess. The way he looks at her, with so much love in his eyes, she felt so happy. She was reminded of the time her Hunter looked at her that way. Shizuka didn't want her son to get hurt the same way she did, or worse. She made sure the girl was deserving of his love and affection, and sure enough, she was. The girl was willing to go through extreme lengths to keep him safe. She did everything she could to tend to his needs. And this was enough for Shizuka. She knew her son was in good hands.

And now, she's in his arms as he drains the life out of her. She couldn't think of a better way to die. Now, she was assured that her life was not going to waste. Because yet again, she was giving life to him. She closed her eyes, with the color of his imprinted on the back of her lids.

_Forgive me, Zero._

* * *

Yuuki sat next to Zero's bed, with her hands balled into fists on her lap. Last night, she found him unconscious next to Shizuka Hiou's drained body. Even in death, the woman looked beautiful. Surprisingly, she even looked peaceful. With a single tear drop on her cheek.

Yuuki's eyes itched with lost sleep. She tried getting into bed a few hours ago, but sleep never came to her. She was still in shock, her mind not quite processing what happened. It was all too easy. A little bit too underwhelming. She didn't expect that all those days of preparation would just lead to that single moment. Shizuka barely gave a fight.

And Shiki... his body... is being used as a host.

She didn't know what to think. There was just too much. Shizuka's death, Rido's return... Zero's awakening. Just as the thought popped into her head, Zero bolted up.

"Zero!" she stood up and jumped into the bed, sitting right in front of him. He raised his hand to cover his face, though she could still see through the spaces between his fingers. His eyes were blank, as if he wasn't quite here yet. His other hand clutched tightly onto the bed. He was breathing was ragged and heavy. He was almost wheezing for air. "Zero?" She reached out and placed her hands on his shoulders. He was trembling. His whole body was trembling, and there was a thin layer of cold sweat that covered him. "Zero, look at me." She moved her hand to his wrist, and she attempted to lower his hand from his face. He was pale white and his eyes were unseeing.

He was having a panic attack. Luckily, Yuuki isn't a stranger to these situations, since she's experienced it firsthand sometime in her sixteen years of existence. "Zero," she called out louder, her voice stronger, firmer. She was trying to get his attention, grasp it in her hands and yank him back into reality. "Hold your breath," she commanded. She lowered her head, looking him in the eyes. "Zero, listen to me. Stop breathing. Hold it in for a second, then slowly let it go."

She placed her hands on his cheeks, but it was no use. "Zero," she said hopelessly. Talking to him was futile. _Hold your breath. _Before she realized what she was doing, she was already pulling his face towards hers. Their lips collided, and she heard a noise from the back of his throat. She felt his body go rigid, his breath hitch. She pulled away for a moment, taking in some air. She was about to apologize, but before she could even look up at him, he touched her by the chin. She couldn't look away, even though she was too embarrassed to even look at him. He ran his thumb over her lower lip, she felt her stomach go wild and she thought she might even puke.

But then his lips were on hers. His hand moved back to the nape of her neck, pulling her closer to him, deepening the kiss. She held on to his shoulders, her nails digging into his shirt. With one swift motion, she was slammed onto her back. His tongue slipped into her mouth, and she welcomed it with hers. They were both fierce, hungry for more. Yuuki knew this was the moment she could let it all go. She could taste just how much he wants her, and she couldn't find it in herself to try and stop him. She didn't want to stop him. She was willing to let him take whatever he wants.

His lips left hers, and she took the opportunity to breathe. Hot kisses and tender lips made their way down to her jaw, then her neck, then further down to her chest. She felt like she was being devoured by bright white fire. She let out a moan, which was then muffled as his lips came crashing back down to hers. She felt him surrounding her, all over her, covering every inch of her being with his. He was the fire that burned her. And she knows better than to just let fire consume you, but...

His lips came crashing back down on her mouth. The longer they stayed like this, the bigger the hunger gets. Their need for each other grows stronger, the desperation for something more, the desire... Yuuki was still holding onto the collar of his dress shirt, and somehow, in the heat of the moment, she managed to undo the buttons with her eyes closed. She peeled his shirt off his shoulders, and she felt the material disintegrate into thin air. His bare skin was cold under the burning palms of her hand. Ice and fire- a terrible combination.

When his lips left her once more, she felt like screaming for them. She wanted him- the way he tasted, the way he smells, the way he feels against her. But then she felt his moist tongue against the side of her neck, sending ice cold streams down her fire-infested body. Such ecstasy, such sensation made her feel like she was a volcano ready to erupt. She felt like she was going to implode. She moaned as he pierced her neck.

There was a sharp sting, as his fangs got deeper and deeper down into her flesh. "Z-Zero-!" she gasped, her nails dug into the back of his shoulders. It was different from all the other time he fed on her. Or perhaps maybe it was because she wasn't willing. Maybe she's gotten too selfish and greedy, starting to want something in return from him. But it was painful. Excruciatingly painful.

It was a relief when he broke away. Blood streamed from his mouth, then dropped to her cheeks. His eyes were luminous red, but there was a different intensity to it. His breathing, somehow, had gone more ragged. He was like... like an animal. She felt his hand travel from the length of her arms, to the collar of her sweater. She blushed furiously as he started to pull them down. "Z-Zero, what are you-"

Then he went for her chest. He bit her in the middle of her chest, and she could feel his fangs right next to her heart, which was hammering. She felt like he was going to rip her heart out with his fangs. "Zero, please..." she begged him to stop. But he wouldn't budge. He was lost. _Is he still... having a panic attack?_

The thought scared Yuuki. If he was still out of it then there was no way to stop him. She felt so stupid now. She has always told him that it would be okay for him to drink her blood. She's always said it didn't matter if he almost drains her. She just wanted to be of use to him. And now here she was, and here he was. He was draining the life out of her.

With all her might, she tried to push him off of her. But it was no use. He was much stronger now. And she was getting weaker. Her skin was starting to look ashen, and her eyes were growing incredibly heavy. She suddenly felt sore, every inch of her body ached. She could feel her veins exploding in her body. "Zero..."


	25. Chapter 25

Ichiru slid her hand across the lid of the coffin, then pushed it open. Inside was a man's corpse. A body, not quite dead, but not quite alive. It was empty. A body waiting for its original host to occupy it. It was Rido Kuran's true form. He lay motionless, with dark locks curling down to the length of his shoulders. His skin was pale and almost ashen, but still, he had the usual ethereal beauty of Purebloods.

Ichiru studied the body. There was a silver dagger protruding from its chest, with both of his big lifeless hands around its hilt. "Tch. I forgot that was still there." Ichiru looked over his shoulder and found Shiki standing by the doorway. He was Rido's son, and now Rido is currently occupying his body. "That was my brother's," he said. He walked over, and knelt next to his coffin. He wound his hand around the hilt of the dagger, then pulled it out. "My own nephew stabbed me. You see, you really can't trust anyone. Be it your fiancé, or even your family."

He held onto the dagger, then he held his hand out, palms up. He ran the blade over his palm, a line of bright red blood trailing after it. He guided his hand onto the corpse's lips, then he formed a fist. Blood trickled down to Rido's lips. Slowly, his unconscious lips started to part, taking in more of the blood.

Ichiru looked away then, as he started to hear the slick sound of their blood exchange.

Rido's strong hands caught on Shiki's wrist and he bit into it. Shiki's body was starting to lose blood, and slowly, Rido was starting to extract himself from his son's body. Once he was finally back in his true form, he sat up in his coffin, taking hold of Shiki's shoulders. He dug into his son's neck, consumed by an endless hunger. Once he felt he's drunk enough, he pulled away. He still held his son at arm's length, though Shiki was starting to lose consciousness.

Rido let out a low chuckle, as he rose to his feet. Ichiru looked their way, just in time to see the young boy's pale body fall to the floor with a loud thud. Blood soaked his dress shirt, and the extremely deep incisions his father made was healing painfully slow. His breathing had gone shallow, but his hands were balled into fists.

Ichiru looked up at Rido, his new Master. The man rose to his full glory, his arms outstretched in such a dramatic and theatrical way. If this was a movie, this would've been the part where he let out an evil and menacing laugh. But no, he didn't. With a dark grin, he said, "Don't I look gorgeous?"

* * *

Yuuki looked at herself, standing in front of a full-length mirror in just her underwear. There was a big patch on her chest, where a long laceration was made and stitches were required. There was a bandage that surrounded her neck. Her skin was extremely pale, and she easily bruised so there were a couple of purple splotches on her arm. She could still see the trace of Zero's hand braceletting her forearm. Her thoughts were still hazy and she was still lightheaded. Her mouth felt fuzzy, and she felt like if she spoke, only static will come out.

According to the Chairman, she's been asleep for two days. He was the one who fixed her up, bandaging her neck and patching the other bite marks. And by the way his cheeks flushed, she could tell he also found other _markings_ on her body. There they were, purplish and reddish, bright against her paper-like skin. Hickeys.

She blushed at the sight of them, remembering what happened. She wondered then with sadness if the Zero that kissed her like that was really Zero. Or maybe Zero was still out of it and it was the awakening Pureblood trying to look for an escape. She wondered how he's been. She promised Ichiru she would be there for Zero, since the days following _that_ night was going to be hard for him. And yet, she was asleep for those two days.

"Zero..." her voice was quiet and raspy, almost like a wheezing sound. Her throat was so dry. "I'm so sorry..."

"I know you told me not to mind your business with Kiryuu," a familiar voice spoke from behind her. She looked up into the mirror and found sitting on the edge of her bed. She looked over her shoulder, taking in his narrowed eyes and angry features. "But how long are you going to continue on doing this to yourself? How long will it take you to realize that your relationship with that guy is not healthy? Look at yourself... he... _defiled_ you."

_Well, you're one to talk about healthy relationships, _she thought bitterly. "He needs me, Kaname-sama," she said. She turned to face him, not bothering to cover herself up since he's pretty much seen her this way many times before, on some occasions she even had less than what she was now. But she felt immensely cold.

His expression was indiscernible as he looked her straight in the eyes. She could feel him peeping into her thoughts, prying into her soul, scrutinizing every flaw in her state of mind. He stood up, and took two long strides so that he stood right in front of her. The way he looked at her now... there was a time when she would've flushed. There was a time when she would've felt _something_. But now... "Kaname-sama, I'm sorry..." she said quietly. She looked down, avoiding his gaze. "Zero, he... I..." What was wrong with her? Why couldn't she say it? She wasn't able to say it to Zero, and now she's failing to say it to Kaname. Will she have to keep those three words bottled up inside for the rest of her life?

"Yuuki, please," his voice was soft, but strained. "Don't say it." He wrapped his arms around her, holding her so tightly. "I know what you're going to say, and I don't want to hear it."

"I'm sorry," was all she could manage to say. She felt great sympathy for her brother, and guilt from the fact that she could never love him as much as he loves her. Not while her heart is torn in half.

"I love you," he said. His arms grew tighter around her. "It's okay if you can't return my feelings for you. That wouldn't change how I feel, Yuuki."

* * *

Yuuki felt so light. She felt as if she was going to be blown away by the wind, as she kept walking around the school. It was a school day, and everyone else was in class. But she wore a trench coat, jeans, and a couple of combat boots. She was walking around in circles, looking for Zero. But she couldn't find him anywhere. She tried the boys' dorm, Lily's stable, she even tried the Moon dorm. But he was nowhere to be found.

Finally, she gave up and decided to ask for help. She found herself in the Chairman's office. Kaien Cross was worried and frantic as he went over piles of papers on his desk. Yuuki turned to walk away, afraid she was just disturbing him, but he already caught sight of her. "Yuuki!" he said cheerfully, relief washing over him. Seeing her alive and well must be a pound off the weight on his shoulders. "How are you feeling, dear?"

"I'm okay," she said, walking over to sit on the armchair across from him. "Are those...?"

"Cases, complaints..." he let out a breath, as he leaned into his seat. "The Association wants to terminate the operation."

"Hm- Operation?"

"That's the thing," he almost sounded frustrated. "The Association sees this whole thing as just an operation, an experiment. But we've already gotten so far! All the students have grown to see this as their school, their _home_! It's just..."

"I heard there were ten human bodies found," she said quietly. "How will we explain that? I know the Association won't need an explanation, but... their families?"

"Don't worry yourself too much, Yuuki," he said softly. "The Association will help us clean this whole mess up."

_Clean up_, she repeated the words over and over in her head. Rage swelled inside her, but she felt too weak to be able to physically show the emotion. A clean up. That's what they are all so worried about. It's like they didn't even care about the innocent lives they lost. But she didn't want to be angry with the Chairman. She knows he's already got a lot on his plate, and right now, the last thing she wants is to be another one of his problems. "Chairman, where's Zero?" she asked. "I've been looking for him all morning, but..."

There was a grim expression on his face. "Yuuki, he doesn't really want to see you right now-" he winced at the realization of how bad his words must've sounded like. "That's not what I meant, it's not just you. He doesn't want to see _anyone_ right now."

"But where is he?"

"I shouldn't tell you," he slowly shook his head. "But I feel like you're the only one who could help him right now."

The Chairman stood up from his seat. But before she could follow suit, she felt a soft piece of clothing over her eyes. She saw nothing but darkness. "Ch-chairman, wh-"

"I'm sorry, Yuuki, but I have to keep you blindfolded."

* * *

After twists and turns, ups and downs, soft paved ground to rocky plains, they finally stopped. Yuuki felt something cold surround her, and somehow it felt like it only got darker. She could hear the soft hum of machinery, and the sound of water dripping. She could hear her own breathing, then the Chairman's. He was right behind her and she could feel him breathe down her neck. His breath was cold, and she shivered.

She felt the cloth slide smoothly down her nose. She opened her eyes, and for a moment, she thought she was still blindfolded. It was dark- darker than it had been when she was blindfolded. But then she saw a soft glow from a distance, and she started walking towards it, absent-mindedly. But as she took a step forward, she slipped and almost fell.

The Chairman caught her by the arm. "Watch your step," he said. "We're going down a short flight of stairs, okay?"

She nodded. She let him go first, putting her hands on his shoulders. Slowly, her eyes started to adjust. It was still dark but she could see the faint outline of the stairs. She could see the walls on either side of her, made of stone. Hard and cold, smooth and wet. "Where are we?"

"These are the Dungeons," he explained. "It's a backup plan for the Night class. I figured that if they misbehave, I could take them here, for... discipline. We're underground. Right above us is a lake. But don't worry, it's perfectly safe-"

"But what's Zero doing here?" she asked, her voice frantic. "He didn't do anything- he... it wasn't his fault, I-"

"I didn't want to put him here. He wanted me to put him here. And, as you know, this isn't the first time he came voluntarily. Zero, he's... really hard on himself."

Yuuki's heels clicked as she reached the bottom. From then on, all she could hear was the sound of their clicking heels bouncing off the walls, sending hollow echoes. They grew closer to the soft glow of green light, and she yearned to touch it. She wanted to stay in that light to keep warm. And then finally she reached it. She found herself blinded by the light for a moment.

But when her eyes adjusted, she realized she stood before a set of bars. And beyond that was a slumped figure within that soft light. All she could see was his silver hair, and a bright red glow at the side of his throat. She realized then that the symbol on his neck was the same as the one right behind him, painted on the wall. That's where the light came from.

"You shouldn't be here," he said. His voice was raspy and strained and desperate. She felt her heart break as he looked up at her, his lilac eyes filled with hopelessness. She also saw the shackles around his wrists and his feet.

"Why are you doing this to yourself?" she found herself sobbing as she spoke. She reached out, holding the iron bars in her hands. They were cold, like everything else in the room. Seeing him like this, like a caged animal, did something to her. It almost felt like she was the one inside. Like she was the one being restrained. She turned her head to look at the Chairman. "I want to go in."

"No-!" Zero protested but it was too late. The iron bars were slowly lifting off the ground. Yuuki stepped in. Her skin seemed to be glowing from the inside, and it only made her look like a goddess. "Yuuki, please just-"

"You idiot," she said, her voice a hoarse whisper. She crouched in front of him, like a little kid. She kept her hands to herself, so that it was just her sad eyes reaching out to him. "You really could've killed me. I thought I wasn't going to wake up." Then her lips turned up into a sad smile, and a tear rolled down her cheek. "And then I woke up... but you know..." She couldn't hold herself in any longer. She lunged at him, wrapping her arms around him and burying his face in his neck. His shackles made a clinking sound, but the noise was tuned out by her next words. "When I woke up, I wanted you to be the person next to me."

Somehow, her words woke something inside him. He didn't need to succumb to this darkness he was feeling. He didn't need to enslave himself with all of his guilt. He didn't need to regret anything. He didn't have to punish himself for existing in this world. He doesn't have to feel so alone.

Because Yuuki is there.

No matter how hard he tries to get rid of her, she will always be there. No matter how annoying she gets, he will always want her to be there.

He wrapped his arms around her. She felt the weight of the shackles on her back, but she didn't care. Somehow they only weighed her down, and it only brought her closer to him.


	26. Chapter 26

Once again, Yuuki had persuaded Zero into going with her to town. Though this time, it wasn't so hard. Zero seemed a bit disoriented and confused. And she understood that. He was going through something very big. She wanted to know what he knew, but she didn't know how to ask. And she didn't know if now was the right time to pry. And as she sat in the passenger seat, she couldn't help but fiddle with the buttons on her trench coat. She wanted to know so bad! It was one of her fatal flaws, her curiosity.

"How does it feel?" The question seemed to burst out of her mouth. Zero's arm jerked a bit, surprised by her sudden outburst, causing the car to swerve, but he righted himself immediately after a chorus of car horns from behind them. She sounded a little bit too eager. "I'm sorry," she said quietly, looking down at her clenched fists. "I just... I'm just curious. I'm sorry."

Zero continued driving, his eyes fixed on the road. He didn't say anything, assuming that she already dropped the question. "Sooo?" she asked, poking him. The sudden contact made him jerk his arm again, swerving across the road. There was a loud horn as they almost crashed against a monstrous truck. They both sighed in relief as Zero retrieved control.

He stopped at the side of the road, hitting on the brakes abruptly so that Yuuki hit her head against the window. "You have to stop doing that when we're on the highway!" Zero said, sounding breathless.

But Yuuki was too preoccupied to listen to him scold her about her passenger etiquette. She raised her head, looking down at the cliff before them. They were towering over the city, overlooking everything. "Zero!" she squealed excitedly. She was so excited she was shaking him by the collar. "Zero~!"

"What?!" he asked, wrapping his hands around her wrists and pushing her hands away from him. "Yuuki, could you calm the f-"

"We're here!" Her eyes were wide and her cheeks were pink. She bolted out the door, and ran in front of the car and to the edge of the cliff. She opened her arms, bathing in the sunlight and taking in the air.

With a heavy sigh, he turned off the ignition and followed her. The first time he saw her this excited was when she first saw rain. He remembered running after her during prefect duty, and he found her in the middle of the heavy downpour. She had looked so young then- with her hair pasted to her face and neck, her childish giggle like a happy tune, she twirled in the middle of the courtyard, not knowing that it wasn't just a rain, but a raging storm. Then she ended up getting sick the next day. She was excited about that too, claiming she's never been sick before.

_What a weird girl_, he thought.

"Here, Zero!" she slapped the space next to her on the hood of the car. "We're going to be here for a while..."

Zero sat next to her, intimately close with their shoulders touching. He scooted a little bit farther. "Exactly what are we waiting for?" he asked.

"Sunset," she answered.

"How did you even know about this place?"

Heat rushed up to her cheeks. She looked down as she fiddled with her hair. She remembered that day perfectly, as if it only happened yesterday. It was the first time she met Ichiru. She had stupidly thought it was Zero, and until now, a part of her wished it was. She wanted to know it was Zero who kissed her like that. She squeezes her eyes shut, shaking the thought out of her head. "Ichiru-kun took me here."

"This is... is this... is this where he... kissed you?" His voice was quiet and cold, but he didn't seem angry. He just sounded curious. She just nodded, her cheeks incredibly flushed. He scoffed, "Pretty romantic, huh. That guy... really..." he slowly shook his head, as a smile formed on his lips.

"Is it okay if I ask you to tell me about him?" she asked, her hands on her lap. "What was your childhood together like?"

"Sometimes, you remind me of him," he said. He was looking down, so his hair was covering her eyes. But she could hear the sadness in his voice. "He's stupid and stubborn. He acts on instinct, he's too impulsive, and he..."

"Loves you," Yuuki absentmindedly. "He wants to protect you." She felt something forming inside her chest, something building up and ready to explode. She shifted her position, turning to face him. She inched closer to him. "Tell me more."

"There was this one time," he continued. He finally looked up, and Yuuki found that his eyes were lighting up. He looked out at the city underneath them, but it was like that's not what he was seeing. He was looking at something far behind him. Way back into the past, back in his childhood. "We were training with our friend Kaito. That guy was a total dick-" he chuckled. "He was my competition. He pushed us to our limits, and even when I was exhausted, I didn't stop. Because I wanted to prove that I'm better than him. I was too proud, too arrogant... I completely forgot about Ichiru. He passed out cold, and we both carried him back home. I remember I was so scared. He was barely breathing, and he wouldn't wake up. I thought he was dead. I thought it was my fault- and it really was my fault." He paused, his face suddenly turning grim. "That was the first time I saw_ her_. She was outside our house, and she called me over. She gave me something- I though it was a potion or whatever. I didn't know she was vampire then, so I took it. I forced it down Ichiru's throat. And when he woke up, he was slightly better. He wasn't tired so easily. He was still weak, but he could tolerate a little bit more." He turned to look at Yuuki. "It was her blood. She saved him." He shook his head. "I should have known," he said with a chuckle. "Simple laws of genetics-" he pointed up to his silver hair. "I should have known."

"Do you regret it?" she asked. "Killing your mother?"

He shook his head. "Shizuka was in a lot of pain," he said, a trace of sadness in his voice. "She was desperate to end it."

"I want to know how you feel, Zero." She reached out to touch his hand. He flinched away from her touch, but she grasped for him. She held his hand in both of hers, setting them down on her lap. "You haven't told me anything about that night. Or about your transition as a Pureblood. I want you tell me how you feel, right now, this very second."

"Lost," he said, without missing a beat. "I don't even know anymore. I don't know how I feel, I don't know how I used to feel. I don't know how I'm supposed to feel. I don't even know who I really am."

Her eyes stung with tears. The feeling that built up in her chest was slowly and painfully overwhelming her. "Zero Kiryuu," she said, her voice thick as she tried to suppress a sob. "That's who you are." Tears threatened to spill from her eyes, and she tried to fight them off. But it was no use. One by one, they dropped onto Zero's hand. "And you don't need to feel lost, because you're here. With me. With everyone. You're home, Zero."

"Hey," he said softly, reaching up to wipe her tears. But they still kept coming.

"And since you can't do it, I'll do it for you," she sobbed. "I will cry the tears you can't spill. I will feel the pain you ignore. I will feel for you. But someday, you'll have to learn to let it out by yourself. Someday, you have to know it's okay. It's okay to feel, it's okay to cry, it's okay to let it out!"

"Yuuki..." he pulled her towards him, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. He placed his chin lightly on top of her head, and he let her cry out. She shook in his arms and sobbed against his chest. He couldn't remember the last time he let it all out. He couldn't even remember how to cry. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I'm sorry for putting you through so much."

She held onto his arms, wrinkling the material of his jacket. She cried harder. "Stop crying now," he stroked her hair, combing his fingers through each soft strand. "The sun is setting."

It took a moment before Yuuki could stop. Tears still spilled from her eyes, but at least now she could breathe. The squeezing ache in her chest was gone, but she just couldn't seem to run out of tears. _Maybe this is why he doesn't cry_, she thought, _because once you start, it's hard to stop_. When she pulled away, she found that the sky was pitch black. She missed the setting sun and the splashes of color. She looked up at the dark night sky and found it empty, with not a single star in view. _Because they're all down there. _She looked down, and she saw the city in its full glory. There were no houses, buildings, nothing. There was only the twinkling lights like stars. There were no cars, just shooting stars flashing by.

Colors danced in Yuuki's eyes, and she just watched in amazement. The tears on her cheeks began to dry, and she seemed to run out of tears. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" she asked, her words drifting along with the cold breeze.

Zero had seen a thousand lights. He had seen them in great variations of colors. They were beautiful, but they were nothing in comparison to the young maiden who sat next to her. They were nothing compared to the way her skin reflected them. Their brightness was nothing compared to the light of her smile, their meaning nothing compared to the words in her eyes. "Very beautiful," he said. He kept his arm around her, and she leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulders.

* * *

Kaien found the boy standing by the window. He was nothing but a shadowed figure, but his silver hair seemed to glow in the dark. "Zero-"

"Kaien," he said, before the man could finish. His voice was hard and cold, silent and solemn. "Yuuki... earlier, she told me it was okay. To let it all out. Is it really?"

"Zero..." Kaien said softly. Seeing Zero like this, hearing him say such words...

In those four years he has known the boy, he has not shown any sign of vulnerability. Any sign of grief or sorrow. He has just seen his whole family wiped out before his eyes, he has just seen his whole life turned upside down. And yet, he's always kept his cool. He was calm, and he took everything without emotion. Maybe it was how he survived. Pretending not to care in order to not get hurt. Shutting off his humanity to tune everything out. But such tragedies were always meant to take a toll on him one way or another.

Kaien's heart split in half as Zero's knees gave out. He knelt on the floor, bathed in the moonlight. He made no sound, no tear rolled from his eyes. "Is it?" he repeated, his breathing growing ragged.

"It is," Kaien said. He shut the door behind him and padded across the room to where Zero was. He crouched down next to the boy, wrapping his arms around him. For the first time in those four years, Zero let it out. He cried, tears spilling down his face. He sobbed so painfully he felt his chest aching. He couldn't breathe, he felt his heart being squeezed.

He cried for the mother and father he had grown up with. He cried for the brother who died that one fateful night. He cried for a woman who kept her distance to protect him. He cried for a woman who endured being hated by him. He cried for the mother he despised. He apologized over and over again. He apologized for not being able to tell her how much he loves her. He apologized for not being there for her.

He cried four years worth of tears.

And for the first time in four years, Kaien Cross is his father.

* * *

"Eh? Kaname-sama?" Yuuki stopped abruptly as she saw his brother standing by the room to her dorm room. He looked like he's been waiting for her for hours now. "Do you need something?"

"I just need you," he said with a smile. A grim smile shadowed by the darkness of the hallway. "Everything else is ready."

"What do you mean?" she felt her heart leap out of her chest.

"Rido Kuran has risen," he said, walking towards her. He placed his hand on her shoulder to give her the final blow. "We're leaving tonight."


	27. Chapter 27

Yuuki felt her heart stop beating, as she stood and watched her brother in horror. _We're leaving tonight._ The words swirled inside her head. She turned them over and over again, trying to decipher each syllable but she couldn't quite find the meaning. _We're leaving tonight._ Those three words are all she could hear. She knew what they meant, but she doesn't understand. She sees Kaname's lips moving, forming more words. But she couldn't hear him. All she could hear was _We're leaving tonight._

He reached out for her, but she took a step back. "I don't get it," she said. She was shivering, despite the warmth of her coat. "I don't get it. I don't-" _Am I going to cry again? No, I can't. I'm stronger than this. I don't want to cry, but-_

"Yuuki, He has awakened, and you're not safe here," Kaname explained. His voice reasoned and his eyes pleaded with her. "He's going to kill you."

"Zero promised me he'll teach me to fight!" she protested. "I can protect myself, I-"

"Quit being so stubborn, Yuuki!" he gripped her by the shoulders, and shook some sense into her. Yuuki was shocked by how he was handling her. For sixteen years, he's been handling her like she was a delicate little daisy, a fragile little china cup. And now here he is, shaking her so hard she was starting to get dizzy. "If we don't get out of here, this is where He'll look for you! You will endanger not only yourself, but everyone you care about in this place! Do you understand?!"

Yuuki was out of breath by the time he stopped. "Yori...? And Zero?"

Kaname nodded slowly. "Your bags are in the car," he said calmly. He pushed her hair out of her eyes, and gently caressed her cheeks, his hand smoothly trailing down to her bandaged neck. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

She felt his cold fingers unwrapping the bandage from her neck, and she couldn't do anything but stand still. She still didn't understand what was happening. Does she really have to leave? Or is she really so selfish that she'd rather stay here and bring everyone else down with her?

Her eyes widened as she suddenly felt a pair of soft lips against hers. Kaname's lips felt familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. Then she felt something flowing into her mouth, an explosion of unfamiliar flavors- a mixture of sweetness and metal- which could only mean one thing. She held her palms up against his chest, trying to push him away. But it was no use, he was far too strong for her.

He placed his hands on her back, pulling her closer to him. Then he slammed her against the wall, causing her to open her mouth wider, bringing more blood into her mouth. She tried to resist, refusing to swallow his pure blood. But they were already filling her mouth in a way that they started dripping down to their chins. Inevitably, she's got his blood in his system. They remained like that, pressed against each other, for a couple more minutes until the change started taking place.

Yuuki felt her heart stop beating- _literally_, this time. For a moment, everything was still from the inside. Then came a stabbing pain in her chest. She cried out in pain, and Kaname had to clamp his hand down her mouth to stifle her screams. "Yuuki, I know it hurts, and I'm sorry," he mumbled. "But hang in there, it will be over soon. And you'll be back the way you were before."

She continued to scream into his hand, unable to control the pain. She felt her innards twisting and turning inside her body. She writhed in agony, and he pulled her into his arms, keeping her in place. Her hair started to grow out, a stream of rich brown strands flowing down her back. Yuuki's body spasmed, until there was nothing. She made no noise and she grew limp and heavy in his arms. She fell unconscious, and he carried her back to the Moon dorm.

* * *

Shiki opened the door slowly. It's been so long since he's been in Rima's room, and he was almost surprised by how neat it was. He completely forgot just how much of a neat freak she was. The room was big, but it seemed empty. All there was was a single cabinet and a dresser. Aside from that, a queen-sized bed sat in the middle of the room, with a bedside table next to it. Flowers in a vase were next to her. And that was that. That's all in her room.

He walked towards her, a small body lying in the middle of a see of sheets. He looked down at her, her body hidden underneath a pile of blankets. Her skin was exceptionally pale, making her orange hair glow with the sun's bright rays of light. He reached down to touch her face, soft and feverish under his fingers. "Shiki..." she opened her eyes, just enough for her to see a blurry and distorted version of him.

"It's me," he said, still without emotion. "The real me."

"I know," she whispered, a soft caress in his ears. "I recognize your touch."

A silly boyish grin tugged at the corners of his lips, and he felt the need to hold her close to him. Unable to stop himself, he climbed onto the bed next to her, slipping under the sheets. He wrapped his arm around her, with his head rested lightly on her shoulder. "I'm sorry," he whispered. He suddenly felt the guilt of being the one to do this to her. He hated himself so much. And more than that, he hated his father.

"You idiot," her words snapped him out of reverie. He looked up at her, with her clenched jaw and furious eyes. "Letting someone use your body like that. You're a model, Shiki, you should love yourself more! I will never forgive you if you let someone use you like that again, because..."

He got up and climbed on top of her, his knees next to his hips. He held himself up with one hand at her side. He raised his other hand up to the side of his neck, piercing it. Blood dripped down from the small incision. "Why didn't you drink? To heal more quickly?"

"Because their blood won't make a difference," she said, her voice laced with an emotion he has never heard before. Shiki's heart skipped a beat as he realized exactly what those words meant. Heat rushed up to his cheeks, but before he could say any more, she had reached up and pulled him down. She pressed his forehead against hers, her eyes intently on his. "Promise me you won't leave me again."

"I promise," he said. He dipped his head down, kissing her lightly on the lips. He has waited years to do that, to be with her, this intimately close. For years, he refused to let his emotion consume him like this. But with her, it seemed different. She made him believe that it doesn't have to end badly. It doesn't have to end the same way it did with his father and his mother. Because he's not his father.

He is not a monster. He feels. He loves. And he loves her. This girl, Rima Toya. And she loves him. And together, they will quench their thirst.

* * *

The door swung open before he could touch it. Yuuki's head rested on his shoulder and her long hair cascaded down his arm. The living room was empty except for his loyal subordinate. The blonde boy stood so abruptly that his armchair flew back. His jaw dropped at the sight of Yuuki. "Kaname-sama," Aidou said, his eyes fixed on her limp body and the blood on her coat. There was dried blood on her chin down to her neck, as well. "Is that..."

"She's my sister, Aidou," Kaname said casually as he kicked the front door shut. He walked up the stairs to his room without another word, leaving the worried boy in confusion.

Kaname laid her small body down on his bed. He locked the doors, shut the windows, and closed the curtains. Then he sat down next to Yuuki, gazing down at her as color started to resume into her pale skin. He placed his hand on his chest, finding no pulse. He waited a little a longer, waiting for that thump against his palm. He held his breath, afraid, for a moment, that maybe she didn't survive the transition. But then there it was. A single thump that seemed to vibrate throughout her ribcage, then was soon followed by stable little heartbeats. "Kaname-sama..." her voice was hoarse and raspy. "I'm thirsty."

A sad smile formed on his lips, as he realized the human girl he cherished for sixteen years was gone. Here she was, a replica of what he is. But she isn't a monster. She is Yuuki, and he loves her. And she _will_ learn to love him. He leaned over his sister, and without hesitation, she grabbed him. She bit into his neck, hungry and desperate. She turned him over, so that she was on top of him.

She bit at different spots on his neck, so deep it almost caused him pain. He kept a hand on the nape of her neck, keeping her in place. He could hear the sound of his blood slushing out of his veins. He could hear her moan in pleasure as she consumed him. "Yuuki," he said, sliding his head down to her cheek. He gently pulled her head away from his neck. It almost broke his heart as he saw her blood red eyes staring down at him. "You've had enough."

He sat up, so that she ended up straddling him. He licked the small remainder of his blood on her lips. She was so hungry she barely made a mess out of her meal. Soon enough, her eyes resumed their original color, a soft shade of brown. She gasped, almost choked. She pulled away from him, holding up to her throat. She fell off the bed, and she gagged. "No- No, Kaname-sama, I-" her voice was strained and panicked. "No, I can't- I'm not! Kaname-sama!" She looked up at him with pleading eyes, as if she wanted him to undo what couldn't be undone.

"I'm sorry, Yuuki, but this is for the best."

"Can't I be selfish for a little more time?" she asked, reaching up to cover her face with her hands. "I just want... I didn't even..."

"You've already spent four months being selfish," Kaname said. He reached out, lowering her hands to her lap. "But I will let you say goodbye."

* * *

Yuuki left her dorm room. She left Yori to sleep peacefully, to lose herself in her dreams. She couldn't do it. She couldn't wake her up. She couldn't wake the human girl up and give her news that she's leaving. So she walked out, leaving nothing but a piece of paper with words that contained her heart. She left her heart with that human girl, so that she wouldn't hurt herself now.

She stood outside Zero's door. She was numb, without feelings, without emotions. She felt everything inside her shut down. She took a deep breath, and let the door swing open. She found a gun pointed right at her heart. Zero sat on the edge of his bed, with his head hanging down his neck. Silver strands covered his eyes, but she knew how he ached at the sight of her.

His whole body was rigid, his muscles tense. Anger radiated through every pore. "It's okay," Yuuki said. Her voice emotionless and surprisingly monotone. "You don't have to feel pain anymore."

She lunged at him, sending his gun flying across the floor as he stumbled back into his bed. She restrained him, pinning his wrists down to his bed. She could see the pain in his eyes as he looked at her and the fangs in her mouth. "Do you hate me now, Zero?" She looked down at him, taking in the sight of him. His beautiful skin, his luminous eyes, his soft lips, his silver hair... She dipped her head down and gave him one last kiss.

"What did you do to her?" he asked when she broke away. His eyes shined with tears he held back. His body shook with anger.

"I ate her," she said, with a sly smile. "And now, I will take her from you." Without another word, she plunged her fangs into his neck.

* * *

The sun was just about to rise, as the Kuran siblings got out of their car. Kaname placed his hand on Yuuki's back, ushering her to the familiar front steps of their manor. It's been months since Yuuki has seen this place, and not one thing has changed. She still despised it. Kaname pushed the double doors open, and she stepped into the darkness of her 'home'. She felt as empty as the place, a wide expanse of dark oblivion taking over inside her body.

"Welcome home, Lord Kaname, Lord Yuuki," greeted a row of uniformed servants in unison.

They were sent out to the car to gather their belongings, and again, the two of them were alone. Yuuki suddenly felt everything hit her, all at once. She felt a dozen bullets fly through her skin, a thousand knives stuck behind her back, a giant hole in the middle of her chest. She lost it all. Those four months were just a dream, and she's back into this nightmare of a reality. She was back into the confines of these walls, left to the comfort of the empty rooms. No Yori, no Zero, not even a Chairman Cross.

She left Yori without a proper goodbye. She erased herself from Zero's life. She didn't even say anything to the Chairman. But there were a million things she wanted to say. She wanted to thank him, and apologize to him. She wanted to tell him how amazing he had been, how good he was to her. He wanted to assure him he was doing a great job as a father, and even though he never said it, Zero loved him.

But she didn't say anything.

Her knees buckled, and she fell to the floor. Her chest ached, she couldn't breathe. She wailed like a child, her cries echoing through the manor.

* * *

Zero walked up the steps of Shizuka's manor. It was empty, with nothing but the echoes of his footsteps as he walked across the linoleum floors. The only remaining furniture was covered in white cloth. "It just needs some cleaning," Kaien said from behind him. "Then it's all good."

"I'm not living here," Zero said, his hands inside his pockets. Ever since he woke up that morning, he felt something was extremely wrong. Like there was something missing. But he couldn't remember what. He thought maybe it was just because of transition, but it felt something more than just that. He feels like there is something he is forgetting. He felt like he lost something, but he couldn't figure out what it is. He felt empty inside.

A familiar scent snapped him out of his thoughts. The whole place reeked of the smell of blood, but it wasn't just any blood. He gave out into a sprint up the stairs, following the trail of the sweet and metallic scent of blood.

"Zero, what is it?!" Kaien shouted after him. The man ran after him, with his hand fastened to the katana he kept hidden under his coat.

"It's Ichiru!"

* * *

_Yori, _

_I'm sorry I couldn't at least properly say goodbye. I just didn't want to wake you just to tell you something so sad. And even if I did wake you, I'm afraid I wouldn't even know how to say. I don't even know what I'm supposed to write right now. But I want you to know that I don't want to leave. It's all too sudden, and I really hate it. _

_Do you remember that time I asked you if you've ever felt alone? I'm alone now. I've always been alone, but then I met you. I met you and Zero. And believe me, I really thought of you as a friend. You're the only friend I have in the whole world, and that's why this hurts me so much. I couldn't stress enough._

_I want to stay here with you. But I can't. I don't know if I'll ever see you again, and to be honest, I don't want to. I want to see you but I don't want you to see me. I'm afraid that you will no longer recognize me. If you see me again, I will no longer be the Yuuki Cross you know. Because Yuuki Cross was nothing. She was just a figment of my imagination. I am Yuuki Kuran. That's who I have always been, and that's who I always will be._

_Things are dangerous, my friend. But Zero will keep you safe. Zero has forgotten me, and I think you should too. It's for the best._

_I'm sorry._

_Goodbye,_

_Yuuki_

* * *

**_Thank you to everyone who has supported this story up to this point. To be honest, I don't really know how I feel with my recent updates. So, I will leave to you. Please tell me if this story is still worth continuing. The continuation of this story depends on you, whether you're still interested or not. Until then, let's consider this as the end of 'Part I'. I'm going on hiatus, but if I will come back if you want me to. I promise._**

**_(((and I'm sorry if there are some wrong grammars and a couple of typos. I'm just really into writing stuff, and once I finish, I don't have time to edit it anymore. So sorry.)))_**

**_Thank you!_**

**_-daydreamer9898, Beatrice_**


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